V 


^  •"«»%, 


MAY  1  1918 


BV  1520  .F7 

Frost,  James  Marion,  184a 

The1 school  of  the  church 


The 

School  of  the  Church 

Its  Pre-eminent   Place   and    Purpose 


J.  M.  FROST,  M.A.,  D.D 

Secretary  of  the  Sunday  School  Board  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention. 


"Teachers  shall  shine  with  the  brightness  of 
the  firmament  ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to 
righteousness  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever." 
Daniel  12:  3. 


New  York  Chicago  Toronto 

Fleming    H.    Revell    Company 

London        and        Edinburgh 


Copyright,  191 1,  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York :  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  125  No.  Wabash  Avenue 
Toronto:  25  Richmond  Street,  W. 
London:  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh  :     100  Princes  Street 


To  my  daughter 
MARGARET  ANN  FROST 


THE  PREFATORY  VIEWPOINT. 

This  book  was  written  in  recognition  and  under  the 
impulse  of  the  greatness  and  glory  of  Sunday  school 
teaching.  It  holds  in  contemplation  some  of  the 
mightiest  things  of  the  kingdom  and  counts  this  school 
pre-eminent  in  the  educational  system. 

Remarkable  indeed  has  been  the  improvement  in 
Sunday  school  method  and  organization,  in  equipment 
and  management.  But  while  the  school  has  become 
powerful  in  organic  life  and  outreach  of  efficiency,  its 
mission  remains  unchanged,  though  the  perspective  is 
larger  and  its  energies  move  with  statelier  and  more 
commanding  sweep. 

Its  text-book,  its  purpose  and  aim,  its  glorious  course 
of  instruction  in  revealed  truth  and  redemptive  grace — 
these  remain  unchanged  through  the  changing  years. 
The  open  Bible  and  the  uplift  of  the  cross  must  hold 
with  increasing  emphasis  the  center  of  Sunday  school 
life  and  effort,  of  efficiency  and  conquest. 

To  that  end  in  such  measure  as  this  volume  may 
carry,  the  author  makes  his  contribution  for  culture  in 
the  things  of  Christ — culture  in  his  saving  grace  and 
service,  in  his  doctrine  and  spirit,  in  the  personal  like- 
ness of  his  character  and  for  the  triumph  of  his  king- 
dom. 

Nashville,  Tenn. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

1.  The  Threefold  Church  Relation / 

2.  The  Function  of  Church  Teaching 20 

3.  A  Method  of  Church  Instruction 32 

4.  Its  Purpose  to  Teach  the  Scriptures 45 

5.  The  Holy  Spirit  in  the  Church  as  Teacher  58 

6.  A  Scriptural  Pedagogy  for  this  School.  ...  72. 

7.  The  Teacher's  Vision  of  God 85 

8.  The  Pastor  With  His  College  of  Teachers.  97 

9.  The  Teacher  as  God's  Interpreter 110 

10.  To  Interpret  Christ  the  Lord 123 

11.  The  Teacher  With  His  Message  of  Grace.  .  136 

12.  The  Teacher  and  His  Doctrines 150 

13.  The  Sunday  School  and  Other  Schools.  . .  163 

14.  The  Propaganda  of  New  Testament  Prin- 

ciples    177 

s 


THE  OUTLOOK  ON  THE  AGES. 

Looking  at  the  Sunday  school  teacher's  sphere  and 
mission  in  these  various  aspects,  it  is  evident  that  the 
work  which  a  Sunday  school  teacher  is  summoned  to 
undertake,  has  a  basis  as  permanent  as  the  plan  of  God 
for  the  welfare  of  the  human  race,  and  involves  inter- 
ests vast  and  limitless  as  eternity  itself.  The  respon- 
sibilities of  such  a  work  are  infinite,  and  they  cannot 
be  evaded  by  a  refusal  to  accept  them.  For  the  scholars 
whom  a  teacher  has  in  his  charge,  and  for  the  scholars 
whom  any  individual  Christian  ought  to  have  in  his 
charge,  that  teacher  and  that  individual  Christian  are 
responsible  to  God.  The  evidences  of  that  responsi- 
bility, and  the  manner  of  its  discharge,  will  be  dis- 
closed before  the  universe.  In  the  thought  of  this 
truth  every  teacher  ought  to  live,  ought  to  work,  ought 
to  pray,  and  ought  to  trust. — H.  Clay  Trumbull  in 
Teaching  and  Teachers. 

6 


CHAPTER  I. 

A  THREEFOLD  CHURCH   RELATION. 

ITS  Relation  to  the  Church.  The  Sunday 
school  of  today  is  a  school — a  gathering  for  instruc- 
tion. It  has  all  the  elements  of  a  school,  with  some 
elements  which  make  it  distinct  in  character,  unique 
in  purpose,  method  and  curriculum.  It  is  in  the 
church,  of  the  church,  and  for  the  church — a  church 
school  in  every  true  and  commanding  sense.  It  has  a 
threefold  relation  to  the  church,  being  a  church  institu- 
tion, and  when  in  operation,  a  church  service  and 
agency.  It  is  a  mighty  instrument  for  bringing  things 
to  pass  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  gets  its  life,  power 
and  directing  energy  in  the  church,  in  the  very  struc- 
ture and  efficiency  of  which  it  forms  an  organic  part. 

The  question  of  the  Sunday  school's  relation  to  the 
church  was  a  subject  of  much  discussion  forty  years 
ago.  It  held  chief  place  on  the  programs  of  Conven- 
tions, and  provoked  oftentimes  earnest  contention  and 
even  conflict,  but  always  without  satisfactory  settle- 
ment. That  question,  though  not  of  easy  categorical 
answer,  has  been  settled,  not  however  by  discussion, 
but  through  wonderful  development  of  spiritual  forces 
and  by  what  may  be  called  the  natural  adjustment  of 
spiritual  agencies  making  for  the  building  of  the  king- 
dom.    As  an  institution  the  Sunday  school  has  the 

7 


g  TEE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CEVRCE. 

fostering  care  of  the  church,  and  when  assembled  is 
the  teaching  agency  of  the  church,  but  so  seasoned  by 
prayer  and  song  and  lofty  spirit,  as  to  make  it  a  serv- 
ice of  worship  in  the  church  of  God.  And  so  it  has 
come  to  a  conspicuous  and  commanding  place,  and  its 
influence  for  good  girdles  the  world. 

The  History  of  its  Growth.  The  Sunday  school 
as  an  institution  has  come  through  the  growth  of  years, 
more  than  a  century  now,  and  its  history  may  be  traced 
through  the  lives  of  illustrious  men,  who  wrought  each 
his  part  and  passed  it  on  to  those  who  came  after.  It 
has  a  remarkable  record,  having  come  to  its  place  by 
slow  degrees,  and  oftentime  encountering  grave  diffi- 
culties and  even  severe  oppositions.  And  yet  in  this 
respect  it  has  fared  perhaps  as  well  as  the  week-day 
school.  The  present  object,  however,  is  not  to  write  its 
history,  for  that  would  require  a  volume  within  itself, 
but  simply  to  emphasize  its  record  from  what  it  was 
to  what  it  is,  and  how  from  the  smallest  beginning,  like 
the  mountain  stream  that  grows  into  the  river,  it  has 
become  one  of  the  mightiest  institutions  in  the  world. 
It  won  its  way  and  came  to  its  triumph  because  of  what 
it  could  do,  as  a  propaganda  of  New  Testament  prin- 
ciples, and  in  the  way  of  saving  the  young.  It  made 
the  church  more  efficient  in  its  mission  among  men  for 
the  honor  of  Christ  as  its  head  and  King,  and  for  his 
glory  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners. 

Robert  Raikes  and  William  Fox.  The  Sunday 
school  was  not  of  the  church  at  first,  but  had  its  rise 
apart  and  in  the  interest  of  reform  and  philanthropy. 
The  school  of  Robert  Raikes  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 


THE  THREEFOLD  RELATION.  9 

land,  besides  getting  its  name  from  the  day  of  its  meet- 
ing, had  no  connection  with  the  church  except  perhaps 
in  the  character  of  the  noble  man  with  his  largeness  of 
heart  as  the  product  of  the  church.  The  church  pro- 
duced Raikes  and  Raikes  produced  his  school,  which 
opened  in  a  private  home  at  Gloucester  July,  1780, 
with  a  gathering  of  boys,  for  instruction  in  reading, 
writing,  arithmetic  and  spelling. 

It  was  a  Sunday  school  only  because  that  was  the 
day  of  its  meeting,  and  Mr.  Raikes  himself  with  large 
benevolent  purposes  regarded  the  work  as  "attempts 
at  civilization."  But  there  he  found  his  renown,  for 
his  school  is  thought  to  have  been  the  foundation  of 
the  public  school  system  first  in  England  and  then  in 
the  United  States.  Beginning  with  this  class  of  boys, 
and  with  limited  purpose,  he  yet  built  for  coming  cen- 
turies. It  was  but  a  beginning,  and  yet  its  future  went 
beyond  calculation  as  to  what  it  should  do  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  world. 

Almost  simultaneously  with  the  Raikes  movement 
came  the  independent  movement  of  William  Fox,  a 
layman  in  a  Baptist  church.  He  was  born  in  the  same 
county  as  Robert  Raikes,  the  same  year  (1736)  and 
the  same  day  of  the  month — Fox,  February  14th  and 
Raikes,  September  14th.  As  a  young  man  he  began 
business  in  London,  first  as  retail  merchant,  then  whole- 
sale dealer,  and  became  wealthy.  He  purchased  his 
old  home  estate  at  Clapton,  where  he  was  born,  and 
there  started  his  first  school,  also  in  a  private  house. 
This  school  had  its  meeting  on  week-days,  but  with 
the  Bible  as  its  text-book,  and  paid  its  teachers  for 


10  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

their  service.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  Bible 
school  which  would  become  the  Sunday  school. 

In  correspondence  and  conference  with  Raikes, 
William  Fox  got  the  idea  of  Sunday  as  the  day  of 
meeting.  He  brought  the  Bible  into  the  Sunday 
school,  put  the  Sunday  school  in  charge  of  the  Bible 
as  its  text-book,  and  made  the  study  of  the  Scriptures 
its  chief  purpose.  Later  looking  to  the  enlargement 
of  the  work,  Fox  offered  a  resolution  in  a  meeting  of 
the  church  of  which  he  was  a  member,  May,  1785, 
"that  the  meeting  call  upon  the  various  denominations 
of  England  to  unite  in  the  organization  of  a  society 
for  the  promotion  of  Bible  study  among  the  children 
of  England."  The  resolution  was  adopted,  the  call 
was  made,  the  society  was  organized  September  7, 
1785,  and  became  "The  Society  for  the  Support  and 
Encouragement  of  Sunday  Schools." 

The  name  was  afterward  changed  to  "The  Society 
for  Promoting  Sunday  Schools  Throughout  the  Brit- 
ish Dominion."  But  that  date  and  meeting  marked 
the  real  beginning  of  the  modern  Sunday  school  move- 
ment as  an  organized  effort  for  the  study  of  God's 
word.  "Two  years  later  (1787)  Fox  closed  up  his 
business,  and  devoted  himself  to  advancing  the  Sunday 
school  cause  of  Great  Britain,  and  was  for  forty  years 
England's  most  prominent  Sunday  school  man.  In  a 
little  while  William  Brodie  Gurney,  who  in  his  boy- 
hood days  was  frequently  in  the  home  of  William  Fox, 
appeared  on  the  scene.  He  was  a  younger  man  than 
Fox,  but  became  companion  and  associate  with  him  in 
his  new  movement,  and  gave  his  services  as  teacher 


THE  THREEFOLD  RELATION.  11 

without  pay,  and  so  started  the  volunteer  system  of 
Sunday  school  teaching." 

Fox  fixed  the  base  line  along  which  the  whole  move- 
ment should  go  through  the  succeeding  years.  From 
his  time  on  the  work  grew  rapidly,  making  not  only 
its  own  history  but  also  a  place  for  itself  among  other 
great  movements  in  history,  which  have  since  blessed 
and  gladdened  the  world.  It  would  be  interesting  to 
trace  some  of  these,  and  show  the  relation  of  this 
mighty  growing  power  to  other  great  enterprises  in 
their  rise  and  onward  progress.  Always  helping  and 
never  hindering,  the  Sunday  school  has  proved  a  bless- 
ing everywhere,  whether  in  making  individual  char- 
acter, or  as  a  dynamic  force  in  the  churches,  or  exert- 
ing its  influence  in  the  educational  life  of  the  nations. 
Over  against  this  humble  beginning  we  simply  place 
the  present  imperial  character  of  this  institution,  with 
its  gigantic  enterprise  and  investments  for  the  king- 
dom of  God  as  seen  in  the  churches  today. 

From  William  Fox  of  London  to  Benjamin  F. 
Jacobs  of  Chicago.  They  were  separated  by  almost 
a  century,  and  yet  over  the  chasm  of  years  they  joined 
hands  in  oneness  of  spirit  and  purpose — Fox  in  his 
movement  for  promoting  Bible  study  in  the  Sunday 
school,  and  Jacobs  in  his  Uniform  Lesson  System  for 
making  the  Sunday  school  what  it  is,  and  for  unifying 
the  Christian  world  in  the  study  and  teaching  of  the 
Scriptures.  The  Sunday  school  antedates  and  made 
possible  the  International  Sunday  School  Association, 
and  in  turn  the  Association  has  done  wonders  in  ad- 
vancing the  Sunday  school  cause  and  for  development 


12  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

in  the  Sunday  school  of  all  the  elements  of  real  power 
and  greatness. 

The  Association  draws  its  life  from  the  several  de- 
nominations, and  then  brings  to  them  large  returns  in 
the  way  of  inspiration,  and  in  setting  before  them 
high  ideals  for  the  betterment  of  the  Sunday  school 
cause  in  their  own  churches.  Moreover,  to  meet  the 
demands  of  the  Sunday  school,  there  are  immense 
business  interests  and  investments  which  easily  count 
into  the  millions.  Large  moneyed  powers,  therefore, 
are  set  for  its  advancement. 

And  measured  even  by  commercial  standards  the 
Sunday  school  as  an  enterprise  in  church  life,  is  gigan- 
tic and  of  almost  startling  proportions.  Out  of  all 
these  phases  of  its  activities,  energies  and  relations 
comes  its  almost  boundless  power  to  help  and  bless, 
to  uplift  and  enlarge,  to  save  and  train  for  Christ  in 
the  service  of  his  kingdom.  Throughout  all  the  years, 
and  with  a  growth  beyond  compare,  with  shifting  and 
changing  methods,  the  Sunday  school  holds  steadfastly 
to  its  original  and  cardinal  idea  of  a  school  in  the 
church  for  teaching  the  word  of  God. 

Its  Center  of  Energy  in  the  Local  Church. 
The  Sunday  school  is  a  local  affair,  has  its  definite 
center  of  activity,  and  does  its  work  within  its  own 
sphere.  Even  what  it  does  in  the  widest  sweep  of  its 
activities,  it  does  as  having  the  center  of  its  energies  in 
the  local  church.  This  is  true  notwithstanding  the 
Sunday  school  itself  is  sometimes  the  planting  of  some 
mission  station  from  which  a  church  eventually  comes. 
This  indeed  has  often  been  the  course  of  sowing  and 


TEE  TE REE FOLD  RELATION.  13 

reaping.  Behind  every  such  planting  there  is  the  in- 
fluence of  the  church  again  directly  or  indirectly,  one 
planting,  another  watering,  and  God  giving  the  in- 
crease. The  local  Sunday  school  emphasizes  the  local 
church  as  the  center  of  its  agency,  enriches  the  life  of 
the  church  and  augments  its  efficiency. 

The  word  church  in  the  title  of  this  book  and 
throughout  these  pages,  designates  a  local  organiza- 
tion, called  sometimes  the  individual,  particular  or 
single  church,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  larger  con- 
ception and  more  general  idea.  This  makes  more 
definite  and  holds  more  strictly  to  what  is  here  in- 
tended in  our  thought  of  the  Sunday  school  as  a  church 
school.  Christ's  church  as  he  set  it  for  the  expression 
and  making  of  his  kingdom  was  first  one,  then  more 
than  one,  then  a  vast  multitude,  multiplying  through- 
out the  countries  and  centuries — but  holding  always 
its  local  idea  and  mission,  as  the  church  at  Ephesus  or 
the  Church  of  God  at  Corinth.  Then  as  now  Christ 
first  saved  men  individually,  then  grouped  them  into 
churches. 

Men  are  regenerated  by  units,  renewed  by  the  Spirit 
of  God  one  at  a  time,  then  set  in  churches  for  Christian 
culture  and  service.  So  the  church  has  a  spiritual 
membership,  is  entrusted  with  keeping  the  ordinances 
of  the  Lord's  house  as  he  commanded,  and  is  commis- 
sioned to  propagate  his  gospel  to  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth.  Christendom  does  not  appear  as  a  church, 
not  having  local  habitation  or  organic  life.  Christians, 
as  we  think  of  them,  the  world  over  and  in  the  aggre- 
gate, are  not  a  church,  but  a  glorious  people,  a  mighty 


14  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

host  saved  by  the  grace  of  God,  and  gathered  in 
churches  almost  without  number,  as  may  come  from 
conditions  and  circumstances. 

These  churches  are  local  centers  of  Christian  energy 
and  activity.  This  is  no  disparagement  of  the  indi- 
vidual member  in  the  fullness  of  all  he  may  do  for 
Christ.  It  rather  makes  him  the  greater  through  the 
oneness  of  the  many  and  in  the  force  of  aggregate 
power.  This  is  the  fellowship  of  life  and  service,  of 
doctrinal  character  and  power,  a  sitting  together  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus. 

A  Chosen  Agency  in  the  Furtherance  of  its 
Work.  The  Sunday  school  in  the  church  is  a  mani- 
festation of  church  life,  an  outgo  of  energy,  a  method 
of  activity,  with  definiteness  of  purpose  and  aim.  It 
is  neither  "the  nursery  of  the  church,"  nor  a  "work- 
shop," but  here  the  church  through  its  school  as  one  of 
its  chosen  instruments,  is  itself  at  work  in  the  spirit 
which  it  has  caught  from  heaven,  and  for  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  mission  which  it  receives  from  the  heavenly 
King.  Everything  the  church  holds  dear,  every  great 
interest  and  enterprise  in  which  the  church  is  engaged, 
everything  which  the  church  needs,  whether  for  mak- 
ing it  strong  and  mighty  within,  or  powerful  and  pro- 
jective in  its  influence  upon  the  community — all  is 
fostered  and  magnified  in  this  school  of  the  church, 
first  made  possible  and  then  brought  to  pass. 

The  school  becomes  as  an  agency  what  the  church 
makes  it;  is  capable  of  almost  indefinite  expansion  in 
church  efficiency  as  a  channel  for  the  output  of  its 
energy  and  life.    While  holding  steadfastly  to  the  one 


THE  THREEFOLD  RELATION.  15 

basal  purpose  of  teaching  the  Scriptures,  the  Sunday 
school  has  yet  greatly  widened  in  its  aim.  As  a  force 
for  study  and  teaching  the  word  of  God;  as  a  force 
for  evangelizing  and  bringing  lost  sinners  to  the  Sa- 
viour; as  a  force  for  instruction  and  education  in  the 
mightiest  things  claiming  the  attention  of  men;  as  a 
force  for  mission  operation  in  the  world-wide  sense; 
as  a  force  for  making  Christian  character  in  men  and 
women;  and  for  opening  the  door  of  usefulness  on  a 
large  scale — in  all  these  things  so  essential  in  the  life 
and  mission  of  the  church,  the  Sunday  school  holds 
rank  among  its  very  first  and  chosen  agencies. 

It  is  at  once  field  and  force,  giving  opportunity  to  do 
and  power  to  do,  for  building  the  kingdom  of  God. 
The  Sunday  school  was  not  this  at  the  first,  but 
through  the  growth  of  years  has  come  to  this  rank  in 
modern  church  life,  and  challenges  the  admiration  and 
co-operative  support  of  all  who  themselves  would  do 
large  things  for  God  in  the  world,  and  who  desire  to 
see  the  church  come  to  the  full  in  turning  many  to 
righteousness,  in  shining  as  the  stars,  in  making  the 
name  of  Christ  great  among  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

Where  the  Altar  Stands  for  Worship.  Fur- 
thermore, the  Sunday  school  in  session,  while  still 
maintaining  its  function  of  teaching,  and  its  service  of 
activity,  is  also  a  service  for  the  worship  of  God.  This 
indeed  should  be  the  chief  glory  of  the  Sunday  school. 
The  worship  of  God  in  the  beauty  of  holiness  should 
distinguish  its  meeting  as  a  sacred  meeting,  and  its 
service  as  a  holy  service.  This  should  be  the  all  per- 
vasive and  holding  power  with  the  school  as  a  whole 


16  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

in  the  opening  and  closing  moments,  also  throughout 
all  its  grades  and  in  every  class  whether  of  beginners 
or  adults. 

This  is  the  most  momentous  phase  of  the  service, 
demanded  by  all  urgent  and  lofty  considerations.  It 
rests  with  teachers  and  officers  as  to  whether  this  wor- 
shipful spirit  shall  be  present  or  absent.  This  will  be 
the  mark  of  whether  the  school  is  "sounding  brass  and 
tinkling  cymbal,"  or  a  living  power  in  -fulfillment  of 
its  mission  and  purpose.  It  is  not  easy  to  maintain  this 
spirit  of  devotion  and  worship,  in  the  stir  and  drive 
of  the  school;  it  will  require  thoughtfulness  and  pre- 
vious consideration,  with  earnestness  of  purpose  to 
hold  oneself  to  this  supreme  and  most  commanding 
attitude  of  mind  and  heart. 

I  am  not  pleading  for  a  goodness  that  is  "goody- 
goody,"  but  for  worship  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  for  a 
godliness  that  is  robust  and  cheery,  for  a  godliness 
in  form,  but  also  in  such  power  as  makes  heaven  what 
it  is.  Let  there  be  no  thought  for  a  moment  that  the 
worship  of  God  has  in  it  anything  of  gloom  or  shadow. 
Rather  with  soberness  and  deepness  of  spiritual  flow,  it 
will  augment  the  buoyancy  and  joy  of  the  service.  It 
will  bring  in  the  sunshine  and  give  dignity  of  char- 
acter to  all  that  is  done,  whether  in  singing,  or  pray- 
ing, or  talking,  or  teaching.  In  the  presence  of  such 
worship,  and  under  the  spell  of  its  power,  unobtrusive 
but  felt  throughout  the  school,  even  the  minor  matters 
feel  its  touch  and  marshal  up  with  the  things  which 
are  great. 

Of  course  God  in  the  majesty  and  glory  of  his  being 


THE  THREEFOLD  RELATION.  17 

is  not  circumscribed  by  time  or  place,  as  to  where  we 
may  worship  him.  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  and 
there  is  access  to  the  throne  whenever  and  wherever 
the  soul  cries  out  after  him.  And  yet  it  is  manifest 
from  his  word,  from  all  history  of  dealing  with  men, 
and  from  the  experience  of  his  people,  that  it  is  worth 
while  to  have  a  set  time  and  place  for  meeting  him  in 
worship.  And  there  is  no  better  place  than  his  sanctu- 
ary, and  no  better  time  than  in  his  service. 

The  training  influence  of  worship  is  immense,  of  the 
highest  character  and  helpful  in  every  way.  It  fosters 
the  sense  of  reverence  as  the  basal  element  of  character, 
and  makes  for  strength  in  doing  work  for  God.  This 
high  service  cannot  be  commanded ;  it  comes  not  from 
dictation  nor  from  simple  requirements.  The  ringing 
of  a  thousand  bells  cannot  ring  it  in.  It  comes  as  the 
daylight  comes,  as  the  atmosphere  comes,  as  the  sweet 
aroma  of  devout  hearts,  as  the  indescribable  outgo  of 
spirits  imbued  with  the  Spirit  of  God.  Blessed,  many 
times  blessed,  are  those  who  without  ado  can  yet  make 
God's  presence  felt  in  the  Sunday  school  as  a  real 
power,  and  can  add  to  the  beauty  and  richness  of  its 
service  in  the  worship  of  him  who  is  all  glorious  in 
praise.  It  puts  the  Sunday  school  in  kinship  with  the 
service  which  the  angels  render,  glorifies  it,  augments 
its  power  to  compass  the  ends  for  which  it  meets. 

Viewed  as  it  now  is.  No  words  can  portray  the 
Sunday  school  in  its  present  commanding  character, 
or  its  unmeasured  power  for  God,  as  seen  in  its  three- 
fold relation  to  the  church  as  institution,  agency  and 
service.  This  chapter  may  come  to  a  fitting  close  in 
2 


18  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

giving  the  estimate  of  another — Dr.  William  E. 
Hatcher,  of  Virginia,  in  his  book,  "The  Pastor  and 
the  Sunday  School,"  when  speaking  out  of  the  fulness 
of  his  heart,  and  from  large  experience  in  practical 
work  as  a  pastor: 

"These  simple  reflections  lead  us  up  to  the  central 
thought  of  this  lecture — the  imperial  rank  of  the  Sun- 
day school  in  the  community  of  Christian  enterprises. 
.  .  .  In  many  respects  the  Sunday  school  is  a  mod- 
est institution.  It  is  a  vast  improvement  on  the  past, 
and  is  one  of  the  phenomenal  products  of  Christianity, 
worthy  of  universal  recognition  as  the  most  flexible, 
far-reaching  institution  ever  yet  devised  for  the  con- 
version of  this  world.  ...  It  came  into  existence 
without  flourish  of  trumpets,  gained  admission  into 
the  Christian  heart  of  the  world,  and  has  received  a 
welcome  from  every  creed  and  sect.  It  wears  about  it 
the  loftiest  dignities,  and  yet  comes  with  a  smile  for 
every  child  and  a  message  of  peace  for  every  inquirer 
after  the  way  of  life. 

"It  is  not  an  easy  task  to  estimate  the  value  of  the 
Sunday  school.  It  is  a  school  with  a  single  text-book, 
and  that  the  word  of  God,  and  this  invests  it  with  an 
interest  all  its  own.  It  has  calmly  chosen  the  entire 
human  family  as  its  constituency,  and  is  enrolling  its 
students  by  the  millions.  I  stand  uncovered  before  the 
achievements  of  the  Sunday  school.  What  mammoth 
organizations  it  has  called  into  existence  to  do  its  bid- 
ding and  minister  to  its  wants.  It  has  created  a  litera- 
ture of  its  own,  and  is  fast  learning  how  to  appropri- 
ate to  itself  all  true  literature.     It  has  kinship  for  all 


THE  THREEFOLD  RELATION.  19 

noble  things,  and  draws  from  every  quarter  material 
for  its  own  advancement.  Itself  a  peerless  educational 
power,  it  infuses  its  broadening  educational  spirit  into 
all  other  things. 

"What  royal  friends  and  supporters  it  has — minis- 
ters, scholars,  eminent  teachers  from  college  and  uni- 
versities, men  of  every  noble  profession,  men  of  affairs, 
men  of  wealth  and  power  in  the  large  walks  of  trade 
and  finance,  and  better  yet,  women  chosen  of  God  and 
in  living  fellowship  with  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  millions 
of  them,  whose  perpetual  joy  is  the  study  of  the  word 
which  God  has  spoken  unto  us. 

"No  statistician  will  ever  be  able  to  count  up  its  con- 
tributions to  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  .  .  .  Think 
of  the  countless  thousands  which  year  by  year  are  con- 
ducted to  the  gates  of  the  Celestial  Kingdom  and  in- 
troduced into  the  Master's  service  by  this  benign  Chris- 
tian force.  Think  of  the  armies  upon  armies  of  the 
young  who  have  gone  to  heaven  shouting  the  Re- 
deemer's praises  as  they  went.  They  were  the  fruit  of 
the  Sunday  school,  and  yet  the  schools,  like  the 
orchards  of  God,  are  bearing  twelve  manner  of  fruit 
every  month." 

Such  is  the  commanding  place  of  this  school  in  its 
threefold  character.  It  is  a  church  institution,  living, 
powerful  and  growing,  an  agency  of  the  church  mighty 
in  doing  things  for  the  kingdom,  a  church  service  of 
teaching  and  worship  exalted  and  pre-eminent  in  place 
and  purpose.  The  mission  and  glory  of  the  church 
becomes  the  mission  and  glory  of  its  school. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  FUNCTION  OF  CHURCH  TEACHING. 

ENDOWED  for  Teaching.  Christ  set  his  church 
to  teach,  and  endowed  it  with  power  and  equip- 
ment for  teaching.  This  is  his  chosen  method  to  per- 
petuate himself  as  teacher  and  to  keep  his  teaching 
alive  in  the  world.  The  endowment  is  the  enduement 
with  power  from  on  high  through  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God,  and  the  equipment  is  of  the  forces  within  the 
church  itself,  and  of  the  heavenly  structure  in  its  mak- 
ing. For  God  hath  set  some  in  the  church,  apostles, 
prophets  and  teachers,  or  evangelists,  pastors  and 
teachers ;  these  are  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for 
the  edifying  of  the  body,  for  the  unity  of  the  faith,  for 
giving  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  the 
measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ. 

The  church  is  not  infallible  in  any  sense  or  degree, 
and  has  made  sad  record  in  its  play  at  authority. 
However,  it  is  under  imperative  obligation  to  teach, 
and  there  must  be  no  uncertain  sound  in  speaking  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  A  keen  sense  of  fallibility  will 
keep  it  modest  and  cautious,  while  a  sense  of  certainty 
and  conviction  will  make  it  courageous  and  aggressive 
in  the  things  which  Christ  has  commanded.  The  two 
working  together  make  for  might  and  conquest,  mak- 
ing "increase  of  the  body  unto  the  edifying  of  itself  in 
love."     The  church  has  its  growth  in  efficiency  and 

20 


FUNCTION  OF  TEACHING.  21 

doctrinal  character  largely  through  the  exercise  of  its 
teaching  function.  The  watchword  of  the  church  for 
the  twentieth  century  should  be  the  watchword  of  the 
ancient  prophets:  "The  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto 
me  saying,  I  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it  and  performed 
it."  With  such  a  message  in  its  heart,  and  the  fire  ever 
burning  on  its  altar,  the  church  will  be  a  church  of 
power  for  this  century  and  every  century. 

The  church  that  does  not  teach  is  failing  in  its  mis- 
sion at  the  point  of  power  and  advantage — like  a  stalk 
of  corn  with  much  show  of  life,  but  yielding  no  harvest 
of  grain  for  the  garner ;  like  a  tree  even  rich  in  foliage, 
but  bearing  "nothing  but  leaves."  In  emphasizing 
what  a  church  should  do  as  a  body,  and  in  the  aggre- 
gate of  its  membership,  there  is  no  abridgement  of  in- 
dividual effort  and  responsibility.  In  magnifying  the 
teaching  office  in  the  church,  and  its  work  of  instruc- 
tion, there  is  no  intention  to  discriminate  against  other 
phases  of  its  activity.  Indeed  there  are  many  lines 
along  which  the  church  operates,  and  its  field  is  very 
wide. 

Preaching  and  teaching,  for  example,  are  different 
things  in  the  New  Testament  conception,  each  having 
rank  and  place  for  which  it  was  intended,  and  for 
which  it  is  commanded.  They  supplement  each  other 
in  wonderful  fashion  for  saving  the  lost,  for  augment- 
ing the  inward  life  and  power  of  the  church,  for  build- 
ing the  kingdom,  and  for  hastening  the  coronation  of 
the  King.  But  the  object  here  is  to  magnify  the  func- 
tion of  teaching,  and  to  set  it  out  as  so  commanding 
and  imperative  as  to  enlist  the  attention  of  churches 


22  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

everywhere  and  awaken  them  to  its  exercise  in  the  full- 
ness of  power. 

Successor  to  the  Jewish  Synagogue  in  Teach- 
ing the  Scriptures.  The  people  of  God  have  al- 
ways been  a  teaching  people,  and  were  taught  in  his 
law,  and  to  walk  in  his  commandments.  This  has 
been  their  distinction  and  honor,  their  power  and  glory 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  The  synagogue  of  the 
Hebrew  people,  with  the  temple  and  its  gorgeous  ritual, 
was  their  place  of  worship,  and  its  service  was  their 
place  for  instruction  in  the  Scriptures.  It  was  their 
school  for  teaching  the  word  of  God,  supplemented  al- 
ways with  marked  effect  by  the  instruction  in  the 
family  circle.  The  home  altar  was  not  less  powerful 
than  the  synagogue  altar.  Both  of  these  were  under 
divine  appointment  and  command,  and  were  for  the 
making  of  individual  character,  for  the  adornment  and 
enrichment  of  the  home  life,  and  for  the  power  and 
safeguard  of  the  life  of  the  nation. 

We  need,  of  course,  to  discriminate  closely  between 
Judaism  and  Christianity.  Jesus  had  already  been 
taught  concerning  the  Scriptures  in  the  home  and  in 
the  synagogue  before  he  came  to  the  temple  at  twelve 
years  of  age.  There  was  no  Jewish  church;  the  syna- 
gogue was  not  a  church,  yet  it  was  a  place  of  worship, 
and  its  service  a  place  for  discoursing  on  the  law  and 
for  the  study  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  In 
this  sense  the  church  is  successor  of  the  synagogue  in 
service,  but  has  its  institution  and  law  in  the  New 
Testament,  and  is  distinctly  of  the  New  Testament 
period,  of  New  Testament  constitution  and  character. 


FUNCTION  OF  TEACHING.  23 

This  is  not  the  doing  away  with  the  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  Testament,  but  is  only  emphasizing  their  en- 
largement and  fulfillment  in  the  New — as  the  house 
built  on  the  foundation,  or  as  the  fruit  matures  and 
comes  to  ripeness  on  the  tree.  The  church  having  the 
Scriptures  both  of  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New, 
its  text-book  is  larger  and  of  greater  fullness  in  the 
deep  things  of  God.  Its  field  of  teaching,  too,  is  of 
wider  range,  and  richer  in  the  unfolding  of  the  scheme 
of  redemption,  and  in  meeting  the  needs  of  a  lost 
world.  All  the  more  is  the  obligation  upon  the  church 
with  this  immense  advantage  for  fulfilling  its  mission 
as  teacher  and  as  adorning  the  doctrines  of  God  our 
Saviour.  Its  ministration  is  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit  as  he  guides  in  teaching.  Its  glory  in  this  serv- 
ice surpasses  the  glory  of  the  synagogue,  and  even  the 
glory  of  the  temple :  "For  if  that  which  is  done  away  is 
glorious,  much  more  that  which  remaineth  is  glori- 
ous." 

The  Teaching  is  Imperative.  He  who  made  the 
church  made  it  to  teach  and  be  taught  out  of  the  word 
of  God.  It  has  within  itself  by  divine  endowment  and 
requirement,  the  function  of  teaching,  as  the  human 
mind  in  its  marvelous  power  has  in  itself  the  function 
of  thinking  or  willing,  of  remembering  or  reasoning. 
The  very  efficiency  and  life  of  the  church  is  in  its  teach- 
ing, in  the  exercise  of  this  power  which  God  has  given 
in  his  endowment  to  this  high  service.  The  tongue 
does  not  fulfill  its  mission  except  it  be  used  in  the  power 
of  speech,  nor  the  mind  its  mission  except  in  the  exer- 


24  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

cise  of  its  wonderful  function  in  the  realm  of  thought, 
nor  the  church  unless  it  be  doing  the  things  which  it 
was  commanded  and  empowered  to  do. 

Moreover,  Christ's  imperial  word  of  authority  is  in 
his  command  to  teach.  With  imperative  emphasis  he 
set  the  obligation  and  the  bounds  of  teaching,  namely, 
teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  he  had 
commanded.  In  preaching  and  evangelizing,  there  is 
all  the  gospel  for  all  the  world,  without  abridgement 
or  abatement.  This  is  required  to  fulfill  the  scope  of 
Christ's  command,  and  as  needful  to  undo  the  work 
which  sin  has  done  in  the  world.  In  the  scope  of  teach- 
ing also  there  is  need  on  our  part,  even  pressing  obli- 
gation to  teach  what  he  taught  in  its  fullness  and  rich- 
ness as  the  gospel  of  grace  and  redemption. 

The  commission  of  our  Lord,  spoken  first  nearly 
two  thousand  years  ago,  and  in  the  majesty  of  his 
resurrection  life,  is  in  full  force  today,  and  is  in  nowise 
shortened  as  to  scope  of  meaning  and  requirement.  It 
is  new  every  morning  throughout  the  centuries,  has 
its  meaning  for  the  church  everywhere  and  for  the  dis- 
ciples in  every  place.  "Jesus  came  to  them,  and  spake 
unto  them,  saying,  All  authority  hath  been  given  unto 
me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Go  ye  therefore,  and  make 
disciples  of  all  the  nations,  baptizing  them  into  the 
name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit:  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever 
I  have  commanded  you :  and  lo,  I  am  with  you  always, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 

Setting  the  Heavenly  Forces  in  Motion.  Our 
Lord  spoke ;  and  this  commission  set  the  mission  of  his 


FUNCTION  OF  TEACHING.  25 

church  and  began  its  conquest  in  the  hearts  of  men  and 
throughout  the  nations  of  the  earth.  There  is  no  need 
to  discuss  here  the  question,  whether  the  commission 
was  given  to  the  church  as  such,  or  to  his  disciples. 
It  makes  no  material  difference;  if  to  the  church,  then 
to  the  church  in  the  aggregate  of  its  membership, 
commanding  each  in  his  individual  relation  and  life; 
if  to  the  disciple  as  such,  then  to  him  as  he  may  have 
individual  opportunity  or  in  co-operation  with  others. 
The  point  here  is  the  emphasis  which  the  commission 
gives  to  the  function  of  church  teaching,  with  every 
member  filling  his  place.  As  the  eye  serves  the  hand, 
and  the  hand  serves  the  foot,  and  all  members  one  of 
another  as  it  hath  pleased  God,  they  work  toward  the 
same  glorious  end  of  edifying  the  body  and  increasing 
it  with  the  increase  of  God. 

And  this  word  of  our  Lord  is  the  same  for  us  now 
as  it  was  to  those  who  first  heard  him,  perhaps  with 
startling  effect.  Indeed  it  has  a  certain  additional 
significance  for  us,  because  it  has  the  augmented  power 
of  a  record  of  conquest  in  the  hearts  of  men,  by  the 
many  thousands  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  and 
throughout  all  the  intervening  centuries  of  history. 
This  commission  lives  today  in  the  power  of  former 
conquest,  in  what  it  has  already  done  for  making  the 
church  great  in  saving  power. 

But  here  is  the  question — the  question  for  the  heart 
and  the  conscience,  whether  for  the  individual  or  the 
church — are  we  doing  the  things  which  our  Lord  com- 
manded? Is  the  church  meeting  the  call  of  this  com- 
mission, responding  to  the  risen  and  enthroned  Lord 


26  TEE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CEVRCE. 

in  the  things  which  he  bade  us  do?  The  function  of 
church  teaching,  or  if  you  prefer,  the  individual  teach- 
ing of  the  commandments  of  Christ,  is  written  large  in 
this  commission,  and  its  word  is  imperative  and  im- 
perial. Our  relation  to  it  is  measured  by  what  we  are 
doing.  If  the  Sunday  school  is  not  an  agency  effective 
or  sufficient,  then  let  other  agencies  be  substituted  or 
added ;  but  let  the  teaching  be  done.  Nothing  short  of 
this  will  meet  the  issues  and  demands  of  the  age. 
Nothing  less  is  commensurate  with  our  obligation  of 
love  and  loyalty,  or  allegiance  and  obedience. 

Fourfold  Function  in  the  Commission.  The 
church  is  a  unit,  composed  of  members  through  per- 
sonal experience  of  grace,  yet  is  a  body  or  organiza- 
tion compact  and  complete  in  itself.  There  are,  how- 
ever, many  channels  and  outlets  for  its  energy  in  do- 
ing its  work  for  the  kingdom  and  in  giving  expression 
to  its  marvelous  treasure  of  the  manifold  wisdom  of 
God.  As  specified  in  the  commission  the  function  of 
the  church  is  at  least  fourfold.  Not  that  these  are 
separate  and  distinct,  standing  apart  from  each  other 
with  hard  and  fast  lines  between.  But  these  rather 
work  together,  overlapping,  in  co-operative  sympathy, 
one  supplementing  and  augmenting  the  other  for  con- 
summation in  one  great  purpose.  In  this,  for  example, 
the  church  is  like  the  mind  which  is  a  unit,  and  while 
preserving  its  unity,  yet  function!:  in  thinking  or  feel- 
ing, in  willing  or  remembering,  in  choosing  or  purpos- 
ing. In  each  case  the  whole  mind  is  at  work,  giving 
force  and  energy  in  the  specific  operation,  each  intensi- 
fying the  other  and  doing  the  work  of  the  one  mind. 


FUNCTION  OF  TEACHING.  27 

So  also  in  this  fourfold  function  of  the  church,  each 
function  is  made  greater  through  its  association  with 
the  others.  These  for  convenience  may  be  enumerated 
as  follows  :  ( i )  The  missionary  function — going  with 
the  gospel  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  without 
abatement  of  message  or  abridgement  of  field;  (2)  the 
evangelizing  function — heralds  of  the  cross,  preaching 
the  gospel  and  making  disciples  of  all  nations;  (3)  the 
administrative  or  ceremonial  function — baptizing  and 
otherwise  caring  for  the  affairs  and  ordinances  of  the 
house  of  God;  (4)  the  didactic  function — teaching 
the  doctrines  and  observance  of  the  things  which  Christ 
commanded,  building  up  the  saved  in  doctrinal  char- 
acter, leading  them  out  into  the  larger  life  of  loyalty 
to  the  King  and  service  in  his  kingdom. 

Distinct  but  Working  in  Harmony  as  One. 
They  all  work  together — this  missionary,  this  evan- 
gelizing, this  baptizing  with  its  wonderful  significance, 
this  teaching  to  observe  the  things  commanded,  all 
these  several  phases  of  activity  in  the  one  church,  com- 
bine in  fulfillment  of  the  commission,  as  meeting  its 
requirements  and  doing  its  work  in  the  world.  Teach- 
ing as  a  function  of  church  life  holds  rank  with  the 
others,  coming  last  in  order  and  as  the  consummation 
and  crowning  glory  of  the  others.  As  the  eyes  are 
empowered  to  see  and  the  heart  is  empowered  to  love, 
so  it  has  pleased  God  in  the  fullness  of  his  grace  to 
empower  the  church  to  teach,  to  hold  forth  the  word 
as  the  light  of  the  world  and  the  life-giving  power 
among  men. 

In  the  church,  therefore,  as  a  unit,  as  with  the  human 


28  TEE  8CE00L  OF  TEE  CEURCE. 

body  and  mind,  there  is  yet  diversity  of  gifts,  powers 
or  functions,  for  operation  in  different  ways.  These 
work  themselves  outward  and  find  their  expression  in 
diversity  of  ministries,  but  all  to  one  end.  The  one 
and  the  self-same  church  operates  in  them  all  unto  its 
own  edification,  and  for  meeting  its  own  individual 
responsibility  and  opportunity.  These  several  phases 
of  church  life  may  be  separated  for  illustration  and 
discussion  or  for  sake  of  separate  emphasis,  but  they 
must  be  held  in  their  oneness  of  working  in  the  one 
church.  God  works  in  and  through  them  as  methods 
of  operation.  Diversity  of  ministries  there  are  indeed, 
"but  the  same  God  which  worketh  all  and  in  all.  And 
all  these  worketh  that  one  and  self-same  Spirit,  divid- 
ing to  every  man  severally  as  he  will,"  and  dividing 
to  every  church  also  in  doing  the  things  which  it  is 
commanded  to  do. 

Teaching  the  Church  Creed.  In  pressing  the 
ministry  of  teaching  we  come  inevitably  upon  the  ques- 
tion of  what  to  teach  and  where  the  obligation  lies.  It 
confronts  the  teacher  when  with  his  class ;  it  confronts 
the  church  in  supporting  its  school  and  becoming  re- 
sponsible for  the  teaching;  it  confronts  the  pastor  when 
training  his  teachers  for  the  high  office  of  teaching. 
The  question  will  not  down,  and  should  be  met  with 
true  hearts  and  with  the  fear  of  God. 

The  purpose  of  the  Sunday  school,  as  will  be  seen 
in  a  separate  chapter,  is  to  teach  the  Scriptures.  But 
as  a  categorical  proposition  that  is  not  sufficient  as  an 
honest  effort  either  to  answer  the  questions  or  to  meet 
the  issues   which   confront   thinking   people.       There 


FUNCTION  OF  TEACHING.  29 

must  be,  honest  dealing  in  the  church  school  requires, 
the  teaching  of  church  creed.  But  what  creed  and 
what  church  creed  ?  Why,  of  course,  the  creed  of  the 
church  in  whose  name  the  teaching  is  done,  and  which 
maintains  the  management  of  the  school.  There  is 
nothing  narrow  in  this,  but  rather  broadness  and  the 
meeting  of  high  moral  obligation. 

For  any  Sunday  school  or  teacher  to  fall  short  of 
this  indeed,  is  incongruous,  and  not  far  removed  from 
the  immoral  and  the  traitorous.  One  may  decline  a 
position  as  teacher  or  retire  from  office  if  need  be  to 
preserve  his  own  conviction,  but  let  him  not  violate 
this  almost  the  mightiest  of  all  trusts — the  trust  of  teach- 
ing. The  church,  like  a  person  that  believes  little  in 
general  and  nothing  in  particular,  will  be  weak  and 
unstable  in  life  and  service.  This  takes  the  church 
back  of  the  obligation  to  teach,  to  the  more  weighty 
and  trying  responsibility  of  what  to  believe. 

There  is  need  for  conviction  in  belief  and  conviction 
in  teaching.  Loose  believing  is  almost  a  sure  fore- 
runner of  loose  conduct.  The  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures  is  the  business  of  the  church  school;  the 
church  must  measure  its  creed  by  the  word  of  God; 
must  make  its  creed  quadrate  with  the  Scriptures, 
changing  its  creed  if  need  be,  but  holding  true  and  fast 
to  the  Scriptures  as  the  one  authority  and  supreme  rule 
of  faith  and  life.  Nothing  unscriptural  has  any  place 
in  the  Sunday  school  as  a  church  school,  for  here  we 
must  have  the  word  of  the  Lord  in  what  the  word  of 
the  Lord  is  saying. 

Church    Responsibility    in    Teaching.       The 


30  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

church  is  responsible  for  its  belief  and  doctrine,  as 
well  as  for  its  character  and  life.  This  requires  em- 
phasis and  consideration,  calls  for  caution  and  con- 
cern, demands  vigorous  and  aggressive  exercise  of  the 
function  of  church  teaching.  To  leave  off  teaching  in 
the  church  is  like  leaving  off  the  use  of  the  hand  in  the 
body,  or  the  exercise  of  the  will  in  the  mind.  It  makes 
incompleteness,  deficiency,  weakness,  and  the  whole 
mighty  affair  fails  of  its  lofty  purpose.  The  church 
must  do  the  thing  which  it  was  set  to  do,  and  its  school 
for  teaching  the  Scriptures  is  an  agency  organized  and 
well  adapted  to  that  end.  Church  responsibility,  the 
responsibility  of  the  individual,  local  church,  is  dis- 
tinctive, inevitable,  imperative.  The  church  must 
answer  to  God  for  its  preaching  and  teaching,  for  its 
doctrine  and  doctrinal  character,  for  its  place  and  in- 
fluence in  the  community. 

Emphasized  by  its  Origin,  Nature  and  Destiny. 
The  church  came  with  the  coming  of  Christ,  is  of  his 
appointment,  is  for  the  doing  of  his  work,  and  is  en- 
trusted with  the  keeping  of  his  ordinances,  with  the 
preaching  of  his  gospel  and  the  propagation  of  its  prin- 
ciples. Like  the  family,  the  church  is  of  divine  origin. 
God  thought  the  church  and  in  the  fullness  of  time 
the  church  came,  emerging  in  the  course  of  history 
after  the  plan  and  purpose  of  the  divine  thought.  It 
set  a  new  date  in  the  world's  calendar,  and  ushered  in 
a  new  era.  Having  its  membership  of  those  who  are 
new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  church  is  God's 
workmanship  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works. 
And  out  of  the  church  as  his  chosen  instrument  of 


FUNCTION  OF  TEACHING.  31 

power,  God  will  show  in  the  ages  to  come,  the  exceed- 
ing riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kindness  toward  us  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

Distinct  Place  for  Distinct  Service.  The 
church,  therefore,  is  in  the  world  as  the  church  of  God, 
as  the  church  of  Christ;  its  responsibility  is  com- 
mensurate with  its  origin  and  nature,  with  its  far- 
reaching  mission  and  purpose.  Its  function  for  teach- 
ing is  one  of  its  richest  endowments,  and  equipment 
for  the  high  service  is  its  touch  and  kinship  with 
heaven.  It  stands  for  God  in  Christ,  for  the  world's 
redemption  through  the  shedding  of  his  blood,  for  the 
embodiment,  the  expression,  the  sending  abroad 
through  preaching  and  teaching,  of  the  wondrous 
words  of  the  world's  incomparable  Teacher.  It  stands 
in  his  stead  for  teaching,  and  gives  out  the  precious 
words  which  fell  from  his  lips,  when  speaking  as  none 
other  ever  spoke. 

The  church  had  its  origin  from  him.  Its  commis- 
sion to  teach  came  from  him.  Its  power  and  triumph 
come  as  his  enduement.  It  lives  for  him,  and  is  in  the 
world  for  his  glory.  His  word  of  command  and  prom- 
ise, full  of  music  and  charming  sweetness,  is  for  the 
church  now  as  it  was  at  the  first ;  as  you  go,  I  am  with 
you;  as  you  evangelize  and  make  disciples,  I  am  with 
you;  as  you  baptize  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  I  am  with  you ;  as 
you  teach  to  observe  what  has  been  commanded,  I  am 
with  you.  I  am  with  you  always,  even  to  the  end  of 
the  world.  His  ever  blessed  presence  in  the  teaching 
service  of  his  church  is  its  power,  and  charm,  and 
heavenly  touch. 


CHAPTER  III. 

A  METHOD  OF  CHURCH  INSTRUCTION. 

A  SCHOOL  in  Purpose.  Instruction  is  the  first 
mark  of  a  school,  its  heart  and  life,  all  else  be- 
ing incidental  and  contributive.  The  school's  char- 
acter and  rank  are  determined  by  the  quality  and  effi- 
ciency of  the  instruction.  As  the  teaching  service  of 
the  church  the  Sunday  school  has  distinct  purpose  and 
aim.  It  has  method,  condition  and  scope  of  instruc- 
tion peculiar  to  itself.  This  volume  is  written  on  the 
presumption  that  the  Sunday  school  is  a  school,  but  not 
like  other  schools.  It  has  its  own  place  in  educational 
processes,  does  work  in  its  own  way,  and  serves  in  the 
church  as  a  chosen  instrument  of  God  for  teaching  his 
word. 

Instruction  has  kinship  at  once  with  structure  as  a 
building  process,  and  with  education  as  a  process  of 
development  and  training.  Structure  equals  building, 
construction  equals  building  together,  putting  material 
into  oneness  and  orderly  compactness;  instruction 
equals  building  within,  making  structure  within  from 
materials  furnished  to  hand.  It  is  a  process  of  char- 
acter building  and  training  in  mind  and  heart.  It  is  to 
form  and  inform  through  the  communication  of  knowl- 
edge; to  teach  and  indoctrinate,  to  educate  and  train, 
to  build,  enlighten  and  furnish  with  truth. 

32 


METHOD  OF  IXSTRUCTIOX.  33 

Surely  with  the  human  soul  as  its  sphere,  with  the 
Scriptures  as  its  instrument  in  the  process,  the  instruc- 
tion becomes  momentous,  august,  commanding.  It 
appeals  to  everything  in  us  that  is  noble  and  worth 
while,  opens  a  vast  future  rich  and  golden  in  opportu- 
nity; it  magnifies  the  significance  of  God's  chosen  ap- 
pointment for  teaching  the  things  pertaining  to  his 
kingdom.  It  justifies  the  high  rank  to  which  this 
church  school  has  come  among  the  Christian  forces 
of  today. 

What  Makes  a  School.  Speaking  broadly,  a 
school  may  be  considered  in  five  parts :  ( i )  Personnel, 
in  its  corps  of  teachers  and  pupils  who  register  for  in- 
struction; (2)  equipment,  in  building  and  apparatus, 
in  organization  and  all  those  things  necessary  to  its 
work;  (3)  text-book,  curriculum  and  scope  of  teach- 
ing, purpose  and  aim;  (4)  instruction,  as  the  specific 
work  in  the  class  room  where  teacher  and  pupil  meet 
face  to  face,  with  mind  against  mind  and  heart  against 
heart;  (5)  fruitage,  in  the  output  of  the  school,  its 
product  in  character  and  life  of  those  who  pass  from 
its  halls  of  learning.  This  analysis  applies  to  any 
school,  whether  the  great  university  or  the  little  public 
school  hid  away  in  the  mountain,  whether  the  Sunday 
school  in  the  great  city  church  with  its  hundreds  in 
attendance,  or  the  Sunday  school  of  the  small  church 
out  on  the  plains. 

In  every  school  there  is  the  personnel  and  equip- 
ment, the  organization  and  management,  the  text-book, 
the  instruction,  and  the  fruitage.  These  several  marks 
signalize  the  Sunday  school  in  its  commanding  char- 
3 


34  THE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CEURCE. 

acter  as  a  school  after  its  own  kind.  Comparisons  are 
frequently  made  between  the  Sunday  school  and  the 
day  school,  to  the  disparagement  for  the  most  part  of 
the  Sunday  school.  This  is  unwise  and  unjust,  for 
they  differ  more  or  less  radically  at  almost  every  point 
of  comparison. 

A  school  is  measured  by  its  efficiency  for  meeting 
its  intention,  and  by  the  nature  of  the  aim  and  purpose 
toward  which  it  is  working.  There  is,  of  course,  no 
conflict  between  the  day  school  and  the  Sunday  school. 
Each  operates  in  its  own  sphere.  Each  works  toward 
its  own  purpose  and  aim.  Each  yields  fruit  after  its 
kind.  It  is  better  that  comparison  be  left  unmade. 
Their  methods  are  not  the  same,  nor  their  subjects  of 
study,  nor  their  aim.  Yet  in  both  there  must  be 
teacher  and  pupil,  teacher  and  instruction,  with  the 
spirit  proper  and  fitting  each  in  its  place. 

Preventing  Waste  at  the  Top.  It  is  some- 
times entered  as  complaint  against  the  Sunday  school 
in  comparison  with  the  secular  school  as  a  method  of 
instruction,  that  it  fails  to  hold  the  young  in  coming 
to  manhood  and  womanhood.  Much  is  said  about 
"waste  at  the  top."  But  investigation  shows  that  this 
same  thing  is  true  in  the  best  secular  schools.  Only 
small  per  cent  of  pupils  in  the  public  schools  enter  the 
high  school,  and  still  smaller  per  cent  graduate  from 
the  high  school.  The  number  lessens  as  the  schooling 
advances  to  the  higher  grades.  The  senior  class  in 
our  best  universities  and  colleges  is  smaller  than  the 
freshman  class.  The  fault  is  not  the  absence  of  hold- 
ing power  in  the  school,  but  must  be  sought  in  condi- 


METHOD  OF  INSTRUCTION.  C5 

tions  to  be  considered.  But  it  should  not  by  any  means 
be  used  to  disparage  the  Sunday  school,  though  no 
effort  should  be  spared  to  correct  the  evil. 

The  school  should  have  the  best  service,  the  most 
effective  and  efficient  teaching,  whether  with  the  many 
or  the  few  in  attendance.  Jesus  did  the  work  that 
reached  the  mark  with  one  person,  with  only  one  at  the 
well  and  with  only  one  as  he  taught  in  the  shadow  of 
the  night.  Not  how  many  have  we,  but  what  are  we 
doing  with  them,  is  the  pressing  question  and  final  test 
of  every  school. 

Teachers  Trained  for  the  Work.  Teaching  is 
a  noble  art,  a  delicate  and  difficult  task,  a  high  and  re- 
sponsible calling.  The  masters  in  the  schoolroom  are 
the  real  masters  in  the  world's  history.  The  making 
of  teachers  is  of  the  first  moment;  it  lays  foundation 
for  something  greater  than  building  empires,  and 
creates  forces  of  cumulative  power  which  shall  outlast 
the  stars,  and  shall  in  ages  on  ages  telling  outshine 
their  splendor.  This  is  true  in  the  whole  domain  of 
teaching,  and  comes  to  the  school  of  the  church  with 
new  emphasis  and  peculiar  meaning.  What  the  teacher 
is  and  does  in  this  center  of  power,  goes  far  toward 
making  character  and  conduct  with  the  pupil,  far 
toward  settling  the  destiny  of  lives  and  souls  of  men, 
far  toward  determining  for  the  life  and  efficiency  of 
the  church,  its  character  and  reputation  in  the  com- 
munity. 

The  teachers  of  the  church  largely  make  and  mark 
the  church  as  to  what  it  shall  be  for  God,  and  for  the 
betterment  of  men,  and  for  the  glory  of  Christ.     The 


36  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

church  must,  therefore,  have  trained  teachers  for  its 
school ;  trained  in  mind,  in  heart,  and  in  teaching  skill. 
The  teacher's  effectiveness  lies  in  what  he  is  and  what 
he  has,  in  his  equipment  of  mind  and  skill  of  heart.  In 
this  school  there  must  be  with  the  teacher  the  power 
from  on  high,  and  in  his  heart  the  grace  of  God  which 
makes  him  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus.  This  is  a 
primal  and  basal  need.  It  will  adorn  and  give  effective- 
ness to  whatever  other  training  he  may  have,  and 
whatever  equipment  from  those  who  train  in  the  art  of 
teaching.  But  without  this,  other  qualities  and  attain- 
ments are  inadequate,  sometimes  weak  and  lifeless, 
sometimes  working  harm,  even  desolation  and  death. 

All  training  for  this  school  must  keep  in  view  the 
purpose  of  the  school,  and  its  lofty  aim,  first  and  ulti- 
mate. A  teacher  must  be  qualified  in  the  line  of  its 
teaching;  to  teach  the  Scriptures,  he  must  know  the 
Scriptures;  to  teach  Christ,  he  must  know  Christ  in 
his  saving  grace  and  power;  to  deal  with  the  human 
soul  in  its  marvelous  depths  and  delicate  experiences, 
he  must,  so  far  as  may  be,  know  the  pupil  in  mind  and 
heart,  in  his  spiritual  needs,  and  in  the  call  of  his  heart 
after  God.  This  is  the  Holy  of  holies  in  teaching. 
Here  one  may  well  stand  abashed.  It  is  of  imperative 
importance  and  a  reasonable  requirement. 

The  Need  for  Church  Training.  The  need  for 
training  its  own  teachers  is  itself  a  work  for  church 
concern  and  direction.  This  phase  of  teacher  training 
is  having  increasing  emphasis,  and  will  be  more  and 
more  demanded  to  meet  conditions  and  necessities  in 
the  church  school.    The  training  must  be  for  a  work 


METHOD  OF  INSTRUCTION.  37 

specific  and  direct.  If  one  is  to  work  in  marble,  then 
he  must  be  trained  in  the  art  of  marble;  if  he  is  to 
handle  chisel  and  mallet,  then  he  must  be  skilled  for 
their  use;  if  the  paint,  brush  and  canvas  are  his,  then 
he  must  be  trained  in  the  art  of  bringing  these  things 
together  in  painting  and  picture.  If  a  man  is  to  teach 
botany,  surely  he  must  know  botany;  but  remember 
always  that  any  one  subject  can  be  most  thoroughly 
known  when  its  place  and  relation  to  other  great  sub- 
jects in  the  several  departments  of  learning  are  taken 
into  account. 

All  this  applies  with  special  force  to  teachers  and 
teaching  in  the  church  school.  Writers  in  rhetoric 
mark  preachers  and  preaching  as  distinct  specimens 
of  public  speaking,  and  judge  them  in  a  class  by  them- 
selves for  special  purpose.  So  it  is  with  Sunday  school 
teachers.  They  make  a  class  in  themselves,  and  must 
be  trained  in  their  own  sphere,  and  be  estimated  within 
their  class.  This  is  simple,  straightforward  pedagogy. 
Anything  short  of  this,  or  apart  from  this,  is  unpeda- 
gogical,  because  it  fails  to  use  the  highest  means  for 
the  highest  ends. 

The  Pedagogy  of  the  Sunday  School.  It  is 
not  the  present  intention  to  discuss  the  technique  of 
Sunday  school  method,  nor  the  teachnical  art  of  teach- 
ing. But  can  pedagogy  help  in  the  high  and  specific 
teaching  required  in  this  schoolroom?  Surely,  pro- 
vided it  widen  its  range  so  as  to  include  the  adult  mind 
as  well  as  the  child  mind,  for  this  school  has  all  ages, 
classes  and  conditions ;  provided  it  restrict  itself  to  the 
Scriptures  as  the  subject  of  study  and  the  instrument 


38  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

for  doing  this  exceptional  work;  provided  it  hold  stead- 
fastly in  view  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  pupil,  the 
spiritual  forces  at  work,  and  the  spiritual  aim  to  be 
wrought  out  in  this  school  as  a  method  of  church  in- 
struction. 

Successful  teaching,  as  pedagogy  requires,  always 
accords  with  the  laws  of  teaching  and  with  the  laws 
of  the  mind,  though  sometimes  all  unconsciously  with 
pupil  and  teacher.  A  nurse,  for  example,  may  feed 
the  child,  neither  of  them  knowing  anything  of  the 
digestive  or  assimilative  process.  These  physical  laws, 
however,  do  their  work,  hunger  is  satisfied,  and  the 
child  grows.  So  let  it  be  frankly  confessed  that  we 
may  know  and  even  guide  human  nature  without 
knowing  psychology,  that  we  may  teach  with  success 
without  knowing  the  rules  of  mental  operation  and 
without  scientific  knowledge  of  pedagogy.  This  means 
no  disrespect  to  these  departments  of  learning,  but 
needs  to  be  said  as  holding  things  in  proper  adjust- 
ment, to  give  things  proper  value  and  keep  them  rightly 
balanced  in  the  sphere  of  teaching. 

Pedagogy  Coming  to  its  Best.  Educational 
psychology  and  scientific  teaching  will  come  to  their 
highest  rank  and  service,  when  they  meet  the  demands 
of  the  specific  method  of  teaching  in  this  school,  and 
when  they  fulfill  this  highest  and  noblest  purpose  which 
can  enlist  the  mind  and  heart.  This  school  deserves 
the  best  methods  of  instruction,  and  yet  teaching  is 
teaching  so  far  as  method  is  concerned,  whether  in 
the  school  for  Monday  or  Sunday.  And  that  is  the 
best  teaching  which  is  the  most  efficient  in  matching 


METHOD  OF  INSTRUCTION.  39 

truth  to  mental  movements  so  as  to  get  the  best  re- 
sults. 

Psychology  has  explored  the  mind  with  remarkable 
precision,  and  has  discovered  wonders  of  its  working 
unsurpassed  by  the  discovery  of  astronomy  among  the 
stars,  or  geology  among  the  rocks,  or  botany  among 
the  flowers.  Pedagogy  following  the  lead  of  psychol- 
ogy, and  applying  its  principles  in  the  schoolroom  for 
educational  purposes,  is  rendering  valuable  service,  and 
has  the  promise  of  even  better  things  for  the  future. 
It  is  yet  of  recent  origin,  and  those  who  attempt  its  use 
will  need  to  measure  their  words,  and  walk  modestly  in 
this  field  where  there  is  much  uncertainty  and  con- 
fusion, and  where  even  the  masters  are  modest  and 
recognize  for  the  most  part  that  the  questions  and  an- 
swers are  yet  problematical. 

If  educational  psychology  is  to  be  of  service  here, 
it  must  hold  itself  strictly  to  the  purpose  and  aim  of 
this  school  while  teaching  in  its  sphere.  For  the  aim 
here  is  to  instruct  in  the  doctrines  concerning  God, 
with  the  Scriptures  as  the  instrument  in  the  process; 
with  the  view  of  presenting  saving  truth  for  saving  the 
lost,  and  for  making  one  God-like  in  character,  God- 
fearing and  God-honoring  in  life,  Christ-like  in  speech 
and  conduct  among  men.  In  this  field  of  instruction, 
and  with  this  highest  attainment  in  all  that  is  human, 
pedagogy  will  yet  find  its  highest  renown  and  reward 
— even  when  it  comes  in  the  future  to  be  classed  among 
the  exact  sciences.  For  there  is  no  nobler  sphere  or 
service.  The  great  Webster  once  said :  "If  we  abide 
by  the  principles  taught  in  the  Bible,  our  country  will 


40  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

go  on  prospering;  but  if  we  or  our  posterity  neglect  its 
instructions  and  authority,  no  man  can  tell  how  sudden 
a  catastrophe  may  overwhelm  us."  Here  in  this 
church  school  for  instruction  in  these  imperishable 
principles  of  God's  word,  we  make  for  the  nation's  life, 
for  its  future  welfare  and  for  its  imperishable  great- 
ness among  the  destinies  of  nations. 

The  Man  in  Charge  of  its  Affairs.  There  is 
need  in  this  school  for  the  best  organization,  with  its 
furniture  and  equipment,  its  officers  and  management. 
The  subject  is  fully  discussed,  and  in  helpful  ways  in 
books  written  to  this  end.  It  is  introduced  here  simply 
in  recognition  and  emphasis  of  its  vital  importance, 
and  as  contributing  to  the  efficiency  of  the  method  of 
instruction. 

The  pastor,  by  virtue  of  his  office  in  the  church,  is 
the  first  man  in  its  school.  No  man  can  take  his  place, 
nor  can  he  delegate  his  trust  to  another.  There  can  be 
no  rival  to  his  ministration  in  the  pulpit,  and  no  com- 
petition in  the  trust  committed  to  his  care.  He  is  not, 
however,  the  man  in  charge  of  the  Sunday  school  serv- 
ice, though  here  as  in  all  the  concerns  of  the  church 
he  has  the  oversight,  and  must  maintain  the  closest 
interest  and  helpfulness.  The  superintendent,  how- 
ever, is  the  man  in  charge.  This  belongs  to  him,  and 
is  his  business.  He  is  the  strategic  man  for  the  hour 
and  of  the  service.  As  the  superintendent  leads,  so 
almost  surely  the  school  will  go  throughout  its  session. 
We  need  to  magnify  the  superintendent,  and  if  possible 
have  him  magnify  his  office  and  his  ministry.  It  is  his 
to  shape,  direct  and  give  tone  to  this  great  service 


METHOD  OF  INSTRUCTION.  41 

in  which  the  church  sets  itself  to  teach  the  word  of 
God. 

For  the  Superintendent  as  Well  as  Teachers. 
Much  has  been  said  and  done  for  making  teachers,  but 
hardly  enough  for  making  superintendents.  This  is 
one  of  the  weak  points  in  the  Sunday  school  of  today. 
We  have  crowded  the  programs  with  discussion  and 
the  markets  with  literature  for  helping  the  teacher  in 
his  teaching.  Surely  no  one  can  be  averse  to  that,  for 
it  is  of  utmost  moment.  Our  plea  now  is  entered  for 
helping  the  superintendent,  and  making  him  master  in 
the  office  to  which  his  brethren  have  called  him,  and 
to  which  he  turns  his  heart  for  success.  The  pastor 
may  contribute  largely  to  making  the  superintendent, 
and  making  superintendent  and  teachers  may  for  the 
present  moment  at  least  go  beyond  making  sermons. 

Through  these  agencies  the  pastor  multiplies  him- 
self many  times  over,  and  augments  his  pastoral  power; 
he  makes  himself  felt  through  these  chosen  spirits  of 
his  own  culture,  throughout  the  school,  throughout 
the  church  life,  throughout  the  entire  community. 
Surely  it  is  worth  his  while  and  calls  for  the  best  that 
is  possible  in  his  thought  and  skill.  A  pastor  on  com- 
ing into  a  new  pastorate  found  a  lawyer  as  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday  school,  and  one  almost  worth- 
less because  of  his  inefficiency.  He  was  without  re- 
proach as  a  man,  able  and  successful  in  his  profession, 
managed  all  his  legal  business  with  legal  ability,  but 
failed  utterly  in  this  trust  committed  to  him  of  min- 
istering to  the  Sunday  school. 

The  situation  was  a  problem  for  the  pastor,  and  his 


42  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

first  thought  was  to  displace  the  superintendent,  but 
the  lawyer  was  too  well  entrenched  for  that,  both 
with  the  people  at  large  and  even  in  the  school.  Fi- 
nally there  was  a  gracious  talk  and  conference  between 
pastor  and  superintendent,  with  the  suggestion  from 
the  pastor  of  reading  a  book  on  Sunday  school  train- 
ing. The  book  was  read,  and  then  other  books  with 
a  rising  tide  of  enthusiasm.  It  was  in  the  lawyer's 
heart  like  awakening  from  the  dead,  and  stirred  the 
dry  bones  of  his  Sunday  school  life.  The  pastor  soon 
found  that  he  had  now  one  of  the  best  superintendents ; 
the  whole  school  took  on  new  life  and  moved  with  a 
statelier  step;  the  church  itself  felt  the  touch  of  the 
new  power.  The  pastor  had  made  a  superintendent  of 
this  man,  who  was  possessed  of  immense  resources, 
but  before  had  been  undeveloped  and  of  little  service 
in  the  kingdom. 

Conducted  in  the  Spirit  of  its  Purpose.  This 
is  imperative  in  the  school  for  church  instruction.  It 
is  the  opportunity  and  hour  of  kingly  dominion  for  the 
superintendent,  but  requires  skill  and  grace.  There 
must  be  organization,  of  course,  and  method  in  the 
service,  otherwise  all  will  go  haphazard  and  run  riot 
in  confusion.  But  the  organization  must  be  an  organ- 
ism as  well,  and  of  organific  power  and  energy.  The 
stir  and  push  of  the  gathering  forces  must  be  held  in 
the  channel  and  guided  in  the  spirit  and  purpose  of 
the  school. 

A  business  man  of  New  York,  telling  with  sympathy 
and  concern  of  the  work,  said :  "It  looks  as  if  we  are 
about  to  grade  God  out  of  the  Sunday  school."     And 


METHOD  OF  INSTRUCTION.  43 

one  of  our  ablest  religious  journals  had  an  editorial, 
the  title  of  which  hung  out  somewhat  as  a  danger 
signal :  "Rescue  the  Sunday  school,"  and  pointed  out 
the  danger  of  too  much  machinery  and  mechanical 
grind  in  "the  up-to-date  methods."  These  were  not 
intended  as  criticisms,  nor  would  we  repeat  them  ex- 
cept as  indicating  tendency  and  possibility.  There  is 
something  grave  and  serious  when  the  situation  pro- 
vokes such  comments  on  the  part  of  earnest  friends. 
Those  in  control  must  master  this  danger,  and  set 
counter-currents  for  turning  the  gathering  energies, 
and  subduing  them  with  the  lofty  purpose  of  the  hour. 

We  must  hold  the  thought  of  God  at  the  center  of 
the  school's  activities  as  a  quiet  but  all-pervasive  in- 
fluence. What  an  opportunity  comes  to  the  superin- 
tendent as  he  opens  the  school,  if  only  he  has  made 
preparation  in  mind  and  heart.  That  hour  is  the  flower 
and  fruitage  of  his  week's  work,  when  the  general 
touch  of  leadership  is  felt  throughout  the  school.  This 
beautiful,  far-away  ideal  is  yet  possible  with  the  right 
man  in  the  right  spirit. 

The  superintendent  may  not  lead  the  singing,  or 
even  be  able  to  sing,  but  his  heart  and  good  judgment 
will  choose  the  songs,  and  even  direct  the  music  in 
richer  and  more  masterful  way  than  in  simply  acting 
as  leader  of  songs.  His  prayer  into  which  he  puts  the 
burden  of  his  heart  for  the  school,  his  reading  the 
Scriptures  in  reverent  spirit,  his  touch  with  every  chord 
and  movement  as  the  school  assembles,  as  the  classes 
form  and  the  work  of  teaching  begins  and  closes — 
these  are  the  things  of  his  power  if  only  he  keeps  him- 


44         TEE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CEURCE. 

self  as  God's  servant  chosen  to  this  work  of  the  king- 
dom. It  is  his  to  bring  in  the  evangelistic  spirit  and 
converting  power,  his  to  bring  in  the  teaching  spirit 
with  teacher  and  hearing  heart  with  pupil,  his  to  bring 
in  the  spirit  of  devotion  and  make  this  teaching  service 
of  the  church  also  a  service  of  worship.  It  is  the  su- 
perintendent's privilege  in  a  high  sense  to  lift  the  gates 
and  let  the  King  of  glory  come  in. 

And  so  this  school,  as  a  method  of  church  instruc- 
tion, comes  to  its  crowning  Sunday  by  Sunday;  its 
fruitage  is  as  the  heavenly  manna;  its  music  like  the 
song  which  the  angels  sing.  This  great  hour  in  the 
church  life  comes  to  a  close,  and  the  commission  of 
our  Lord  is  in  line  of  fulfillment.  The  church  bears 
fresh  testimony  to  his  saving  grace  and  conquering 
power. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ITS  PURPOSE  TO  TEACH  THE  SCRIPTURES. 

CIRCUMSCRIBED  but  of  Commanding  Out- 
reach in  Thought.  The  Sunday  school  is  a 
teaching  service,  but  restrictive  in  its  curriculum.  This 
does  not  mean  narrowness.  It  maintains  distinctive 
character,  moves  in  its  distinct  sphere,  but  that  sphere 
borders  the  infinite.  Restriction  does  not  mean  ham- 
pered or  want  of  largeness  in  freedom.  The  eagle's 
flight  has  its  limit,  but  excels  the  flight  of  all  other 
birds.  The  ocean  is  hemmed  in  by  shores  of  sand,  but 
has  also  leagues  on  leagues  with  immeasureable  dis- 
tances. We  walk  its  shore,  enjoy  its  breeze,  listen  to 
its  ceaseless  roar,  gather  pebbles  from  its  beach,  while 
children  play  in  its  sand,  but  know  not  its  depths  be- 
neath nor  its  distances  beyond.  Halley's  comet  has  its 
limit,  too,  but  its  orbit  has  billions  on  billions  of  miles 
from  point  to  point.  It  came  and  went,  like  a  specter 
stalking  among  the  stars;  we  gazed  on  the  shining 
course,  wondered,  but  knew  not  whence  or  whither. 
It  went  out  in  space,  we  say,  but  what  do  we  know  of 
seven  billions  of  miles  in  space?  Yet  that  comet  holds 
to  its  orbit,  and  moves  in  the  sphere  of  its  limitations. 
So  do  all  the  heavenly  bodies. 

Something  like  this,  except  in  larger  and  more  sig- 
nificant way,  is  true  of  both  the  teaching  service  and 

45 


46         TEE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CHURCH. 

preaching  service  of  the  church  of  God.  They  have 
points  in  common,  they  are  circumscribed,  but  of  com- 
manding outlook  in  thought,  in  purpose  and  aim,  and 
in  far  away  glories  that  wait.  Preaching  is  limited  in 
subject  to  Christ  and  him  crucified,  but  Christ  cruci- 
fied has  infinite  relations  in  heaven  and  earth.  The 
theme  is  sufficient  to  embarrass  the  greatest  preachers, 
to  engage  and  abash  the  thought  of  angels.  Angels 
desire  to  look  into  the  wonders  of  the  cross,  while  man 
cries  out  of  the  depths  of  his  soul,  who  is  sufficient  to 
tell  its  wondrous  story  ?  While  the  crucified  One  is  dis- 
credited by  the  Jew  as  a  stumbling-block,  and  by  the 
Greek  as  foolishness,  he  is  yet  both  the  wisdom  of  God 
and  the  power  of  God  to  them  who  are  saved.  For  it 
pleased  God,  in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of 
power,  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save  them 
that  believe. 

One  Text-book  and  One  Purpose.  The  Sunday 
school,  likewise  as  the  teaching  service  of  the  church, 
has  its  limit  with  the  one  text-book,  but  is  infinite  in 
scope  of  study  and  instruction.  It  has  one  day  in 
seven  for  its  allotted  time,  and  one  hour  in  twenty-four 
as  its  session  limit,  yet  its  teaching  covers  the  whole 
range  of  thought  concerning  God  and  man,  concerning 
human  character  and  conduct,  concerning  duty  in  its 
manifold  relations,  and  destiny  in  the  far-away  sweep 
of  the  ages  to  come.  No  other  school  has  such  a  task, 
or  mission  of  more  commanding  import.  None  bears 
fruitage  richer  or  more  abundant  in  the  things  which 
make  for  human  welfare,  and  for  the  advancement  of 


TO  TEACH  TUE  SCRIPTURES.  47 

society  and  for  safeguarding  all  men  count  dear  and 
worth  having. 

Its  one  text-book  is  the  Bible — the  Holy  Scriptures, 
sixty-six  books  in  one,  the  Book  of  books.  It  contains 
in  one  the  Old  and  New  Testament  Scriptures,  which 
were  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  are  the  only  suffi- 
cient and  authoritative  rule  of  saving  knowledge,  faith 
and  obedience.  It  is  a  treasure  of  heavenly  instruction, 
has  God  for  its  author,  salvation  for  its  end,  teaches 
no  error,  and  is  the  supreme  standard  for  judging 
human  conduct  and  creeds.  On  this  book  when  closed, 
and  ablaze  on  its  pages  when  open,  as  the  imprimatur 
of  heaven,  are  the  words  of  Jesus :  Search  the  Scrip- 
tures; they  are  they  that  testify  of  me;  and  the  Scrip- 
tures cannot  be  broken. 

The  one  purpose  of  the  Sunday  school,  in  fulfilling 
this  high  mission,  is  to  teach  the  Scriptures — to  teach 
the  Bible  as  the  word  of  God,  the  Holy  Scriptures 
which  are  able,  whether  with  child  or  adult,  to  make 
wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  The 
teacher  in  the  teaching  service,  like  the  preacher  in  the 
preaching  service,  has  to  do  with  this  one  book — the 
one  with  his  sermon-text  for  preaching,  the  other  with 
his  lesson-text  for  teaching.  With  both  there  will  be 
such  aim  as  the  book  itself  will  furnish  and  will  re- 
quire, such  spirit  and  attitude  of  mind  as  become  those 
who  bear  a  message  from  the  King. 

For  sake  of  emphasis  it  may  be  said  the  work  of  the 
Sunday  school  is  threefold :  First,  teach  the  Scriptures ; 
second,  teach  the  Scriptures;  third,  teach  the  Scrip- 
tures.   There  must  be  no  departure  from  this  one  pur- 


48         THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

pose.  Everything  centers  in  this,  and  must  contribute 
to  its  commanding  aim.  The  injunction  to  the  preacher 
is:  Preach  the  word,  and  for  the  teacher  also,  Teach 
the  word;  and  for  preacher  and  teacher  alike,  as  hav- 
ing largely  the  same  purpose  and  aim :  Be  instant  in 
season  and  out  of  season;  rightly  dividing  the  word 
of  truth  and  giving  to  each  his  portion  in  due  season ; 
do  the  work  of  an  evangelist;  make  full  prove  of  thy 
ministry  whether  in  preaching  or  teaching;  take  heed 
unto  thyself,  and  unto  the  teaching,  for  in  so  doing 
thou  shalt  save  both  thyself  and  them  that  hear  thee, 
whether  in  the  small  class  or  the  great  congregation. 

Lesson  and  Lesson  Text.  The  choice  from  Scrip- 
ture of  lesson  text  is  of  much  importance,  but  hardly 
calls  for  discussion  here.  There  is  need  for  system 
both  in  choosing  the  text  and  in  the  method  of  instruc- 
tion. This  affords  ample  room  for  variety  in  study 
and  teaching,  for  difference  of  judgment  and  interpre- 
tation. The  Uniform  Lesson  System  has  never  been 
excelled  in  its  method  for  general  use  in  teaching  the 
Scripture.  Its  effect  has  been  marked  in  unifying  the 
Sunday  school  world  in  this  one  purpose,  and  holding 
Christian  people  around  the  globe  to  regular  courses  in 
the  study  of  the  whole  Bible.  The  Lesson  Committee, 
through  the  successive  years,  has  managed  its  work 
with  excellent  skill,  and  deserves  the  grateful  recogni- 
tion of  all  who  love  and  honor  the  Scriptures  as  the 
word  of  God. 

The  Graded  Lessons  to  match  graded  classes  in  the 
school,  afford  many  advantages.  The  system  will  yet 
need  to  be  worked  out  with  care,  for  safeguarding  vital 


TO  TEACH  THE  SCRIPTURES.  49 

points  of  interpretation  both  in  Scripture  and  in  the 
study  of  child  nature.  But  there  is  large  room  here, 
and  urgent  need  also  of  adhering  to  the  one  purpose  of 
Sunday  school  teaching,  and  to  the  one  book  as  the 
text-book  for  all  grades.  This  is  fundamental,  and 
should  stand  as  the  guiding  principle  in  all  Sunday 
school  work,  whether  grading  the  classes  or  grading 
the  teaching. 

But  the  thing  most  pressing  and  of  greatest  im- 
portance with  the  Sunday  school  teacher,  as  with  the 
preacher,  is  his  attitude  of  mind  toward  the  book  itself, 
his  right  interpretation  of  its  wonderful  words,  and 
his  spirit  in  teaching.  There  is  here  deepest  and  most 
abiding  need.  Uniform  text  between  two  or  more 
preachers  does  not  mean  uniform  preaching,  nor  a  uni- 
form sermon  in  grade  of  thought,  method  of  treatment 
or  expression.  Having  the  same  text  may  count  for 
nothing.  All  depends  on  the  preacher.  Nor  does  a 
uniform  lesson  text  require  or  secure  uniform  lesson 
or  teaching  by  the  several  teachers  in  the  school.  Per- 
sonality counts  for  much,  both  in  preacher  and  teacher ; 
the  audience,  whether  class  or  congregation,  counts 
for  much  in  preaching  or  teaching;  the  purpose  and 
aim  are  great  factors,  while  the  heart  behind  the  teach- 
ing and  preaching  will  almost  settle  every  other  ques- 
tion as  to  effectiveness  and  fruitfulness. 

The  Word  of  God  Which  He  Speaks  to  Men. 
The  teacher  with  the  Bible  bears  the  message  of  God 
to  his  people,  and  to  the  world  lost  in  the  desolation 
which  sin  has  wrought.  It  is  a  message  of  grace  and 
mercy,  of  instruction  and  hope,  of  life  and  salvation. 
4 


50  TEE  8CE00L  OF  TEE  CEURCE. 

The  Scriptures  speaking  for  themselves  give  no  un- 
certain word  concerning  the  origin  and  nature  of  the 
Bible,  its  authority  in  the  thought  and  lives  of  men, 
its  value  to  those  who  will  live  in  its  light  and  walk  in 
its  ways.  Everywhere  throughout  its  pages  there  is 
the  heavenly  message  with  the  heavenly  accent — hear 
ye  the  word  of  the  Lord.  "For  the  prophesy  came 
not  at  any  time  by  the  will  of  man,  but  holy  men  of 
God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit." 
"All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God;  and  is 
profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for 
instruction  in  righteousness ;  that  the  man  of  God  may 
be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works." 

There  are  three  kingly  words  concerning  the  Scrip- 
tures, authenticity,  inspiration,  authority.  These  in 
the  fullness  of  their  meaning  should  hold  commanding 
place  with  the  teacher  in  mind  and  heart,  in  his  think- 
ing and  teaching.  Discrediting  or  discounting  at  any 
point  is  weakness  and  helplessness  throughout.  The 
universal  challenge  of  the  Scriptures  to  men  every- 
where are  these  simple  words,  come  and  see.  "If  any 
man  will  do  his  will  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine 
whether  it  be  of  God."  Its  flavor  is  the  heavenly  flavor, 
and  its  fragrance  is  the  fragrance  from  the  heavenly 
paradise  of  God. 

God  established  communication  with  man  at  the 
first,  having  endowed  him  with  power  of  seeing,  feel- 
ing, hearing,  other  than  the  physical  and  outward. 
God's  first  call  to  the  first  man — where  art  thou? — 
came  upon  him  in  the  fall,  and  sent  him  out  as  a  sinner. 
Then  came  the  call  to  Cain,  fixing  upon  him  the  mark 


TO  TEACH  THE  SCRIPTURES.  51 

of  murder  and  sending  him  forth  with  a  sense  of  sin, 
which  was  more  than  lie  could  hear.  Then  came  God's 
call  to  Noah,  with  Noah's  answer  in  building  the  ark 
against  the  coming  day  of  destruction.  Then  came 
the  call  to  Abraham,  with  his  going  forth  he  knew  not 
whither  but  for  the  building  of  a  nation  in  answer  to 
God's  call.  And  so  on  through  the  centuries  until  the 
Bible  period  was  covered,  and  the  Scriptures  com- 
pleted in  the  closing  words  of  Revelation. 

That  We  Can  Hear  and  Answer.  The  process 
continues,  with  God  calling  and  man  answering;  but 
man  now  having  in  what  is  written,  the  standard  for 
his  faith,  the  test  of  his  judgment,  the  rule  of  his  life. 
For  us  even  more  than  with  Paul  and  the  early  Chris- 
tians "whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime  were 
written  for  our  learning,  that  we  through  patience 
and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures  might  have  hope." 

The  Bible,  therefore,  is  God's  revelation  of  himself, 
being  his  word  of  communication  to  man,  and  a  record 
of  the  answers  which  men  have  made  to  his  call.  This 
is  the  sum  and  substance,  the  heart  and  life  of  its  won- 
derful history.  Here  in  what  has  been,  we  see  what 
may  be  day  by  day  in  experience  of  human  hearts  and 
in  the  lives  of  men  as  they  go  in  their  daily  walk.  This 
power  to  call  God,  like  the  wireless  call  of  distress  over 
the  highways  of  the  sea,  and  this  power  to  hear  God 
and  to  answer  God's  call,  are  perhaps  the  deepest  ele- 
ments of  the  human  soul,  and  bring  the  richest  ex- 
periential life  that  awakens  the  rapture  of  human 
hearts. 

Surely  it  was  wonderful  that  God  should  come  down 


52  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

in  the  back  side  of  the  desert  and  awaken  the  solitude 
of  the  mountain  with  his  call,  Moses,  Moses ;  but  hardly 
less  wonderful  that  the  keeper  of  the  sheep  should  hear 
the  call,  be  awakened  to  a  sense  of  fear,  be  conscious 
of  standing  on  holy  ground,  and  answer  with  obedient 
heart,  Here  am  I.  It  is  written  of  Moses  that  "he 
endured  as  seeing  him  that  is  invisible,"  when  ac- 
counting for  his  turning  aside  from  the  glories  of 
Egypt  and  choosing  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the 
people  of  God.  The  Duke  of  Argyle  in  his  Unity  of 
Nature  gives  us  the  profound  word:  "There  is  some- 
thing in  man,  call  it  what  you  may,  but  something 
which  can  see  the  invisible,  feel  the  intangible,  hear  the 
inaudible."  And  psychology  must  take  account  of  that 
fact  or  be  unphilosophic ;  pedagogy  must  take  account 
of  that  fact  or  be  unscientific. 

Knowing  God  Through  the  Scriptures.  This 
means  no  discredit  of  the  voice  of  nature  for  nature's 
God.  "The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God."  "The 
wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven."  "That  which 
may  be  known  of  God  is  manifest.  For  the  invisible 
things  of  him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly 
seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made, 
even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead."  The  sure  word 
of  the  stars,  the  unbroken  course  of  nature,  the  dis- 
plays of  wisdom  and  power  on  every  hand,  can  hardly 
be  misread  in  their  testimony  for  God,  who  in  the  be- 
ginning created  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  But  the 
Bible  is  the  more  sure  word  of  prophecy,  shows  how 
God  reveals  himself  and  comes  into  the  life  of  men, 
opens  the  way  of  redemption  through  the  cross,  and 


TO  TEACH  THE  SCRIPTURES.  53 

makes  plain  the  highway  for  deliverance  and  glory. 
And  even  nature  in  its  wondrous  story  like  the  im- 
pulses of  the  human  heart,  is  best  understood  when 
read  in  the  light  of  God's  word. 

The  Bible  is  our  Jacob's  ladder,  with  angels  ascend- 
ing and  descending,  with  God  finding  us  in  the  dark 
with  our  sins  and  revealing  himself  in  his  grace.  The 
Bible  is  our  burning  bush,  with  God  coming  to  us  in 
the  daily  life,  calling  us  by  name  and  calling  out  of  the 
deep  of  his  mysteries.  The  Bible  is  our  pillar  of  cloud 
by  day  and  pillar  of  fire  by  night,  with  God  in  the  flam- 
ing and  unerring  beacon,  calling  to  wandering  men : 
This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it.  The  Bible  is  our  temple, 
where  God  comes  to  us  as  he  did  to  Samuel,  calling  in 
the  stillness  of  the  night,  and  we  awake,  wonder  and 
wait  for  some  one  to  tell  us  that  the  call  is  of  God. 
The  Bible  is  our  temple  again,  where,  like  Isaiah,  we 
see  the  Lord  sitting  on  his  throne,  high  and  lifted  up, 
his  train  filling  the  temple,  and  the  highest  song  of  the 
highest  angels  crown  him  with  honor  and  glory.  Like 
Isaiah,  too,  stricken  in  our  hearts  with  deep  sense  of 
sin  we  cry,  unclean,  but  find  the  cleansing  power,  hear 
his  call,  and  have  our  commission  from  the  throne. 

Being  Taught  Concerning  God.  This  marvel- 
ous display  of  revelation  in  the  Scriptures  does  not 
make  us  overlook  the  fact  that  Jacob's  ladder  was 
called  a  type  of  Christ.  And  so  it  was  in  wonderful 
fashion.  But  without  the  Bible  we  would  know  noth- 
ing of  the  ladder,  nothing  of  Christ,  nothing  either  of 
type  or  antitype.  The  knowledge  which  the  Bible  has 
given  of  God,  directly  and  indirectly,  is  so  widespread 


54  TEE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CEVRCE. 

and  so  well  fixed  that  we  cannot  imagine  the  dense 
ignorance  that  would  follow  concerning  God,  if  the 
Bible  were  wiped  from  the  face  of  the  earth  with  all 
that  it  has  given  to  men.  It  would  be  like  the  sun 
going  out  at  midday,  with  no  moonlight  to  follow,  and 
no  starlight.  Men  would  still  feel  after  God,  and  cry 
after  God,  like  the  child  hungry  or  startled  in  the  night 
crying  for  the  mother. 

It  is  sometimes  said  we  must  not  "worship  a  book." 
"Do  away  with  the  book,  and  get  back  to  Christ.''  But 
we  cannot  get  back  to  Christ  without  the  book,  and 
can  know  nothing  of  his  redeeming  love  or  of  the 
shedding  of  his  blood  for  redemption — nothing  of  him, 
nothing  of  God,  with  everything  lost  in  the  darkness — 
in  the  world  without  God,  without  Christ  or  hope. 
Even  the  inner  light  would  become  darkness,  and  the 
inner  impulse,  however  good  and  lofty  it  might  be, 
could  hardly  be  more  that  a  master  captain  with  his 
ship  in  a  stormy  sea  with  neither  sun  nor  stars  nor 
chart  nor  compass. 

The  Instrument  in  the  Process  of  Teaching. 
Men  need  the  Bible  as  badly  as  men  need  God,  the  one 
as  a  means,  the  other  as  a  gracious  end,  lest  the  well  be 
deep  and  nothing  to  draw  with.  So  the  Bible  is  a 
wide-open  door  for  the  study  of  God  and  his  ways,  for 
teaching  his  truth,  for  showing  men  his  wondrous 
grace  and  saving  power.  Whether  the  book  be  relating 
history  or  making  didactic  statements,  it  always  moves 
on  the  same  high  plane  and  toward  the  same  high  end, 
that  men  shall  know  God  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  he  hath  sent  into  the  world.     Everywhere  this 


TO  TEACH  THE  8CRIPTI  RES.  55 

one  mighty  book  of  God  is  our  means  of  knowing  and 
leaching  him,  and  this  school  of  the  church  is  a  power- 
ful agency  and  noble  service  in  fulfillment  of  that  lofty 
aim. 

All  knowledge  of  the  Bible,  as  to  its  books  and 
writers,  as  to  its  history  and  geography,  as  to  its  char- 
acters and  their  achievements,  as  to  its  high  precepts 
and  lofty  literature — all  this  is  as  nothing  except  in  so 
far  as  it  centers  and  culminates  in  our  knowledge  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus.  We  go  to  its  history  again  and 
again,  not  to  learn  more  of  its  men  and  women,  but  to 
see  and  learn  more  of  God's  dealing  with  their  lives, 
and  to  learn  more  of  him  and  his  ways. 

For  example,  consider  that  wonderful  chapter  in 
the  world's  history,  God's  dealing  with  Cornelius.  In 
a  sense  we  care  little  for  the  Roman  centurian  and  his 
place  in  the  mighty  empire  of  the  world,  but  in  what 
marvelous  and  startling  way  God  there  uncovers  his 
method  in  answering  prayer.  We  see  in  the  method 
how  a  man  is  set  to  answer  his  own  prayer,  how  his 
prayer  again  finds  answer  through  the  coming  of  an- 
other man,  how  the  answer  comes  through  the  gra- 
cious working  of  heavenly  forces  and  by  way  of  the 
throne,  how  connection  and  communication  are  estab- 
lished between  Caesarea  and  Joppa,  between  the  servant 
of  the  Roman  empire  and  the  servant  of  the  Lord — and 
all  to  one  glorious  end  of  God  answering  a  call  for 
mercy  and  help,  and  for  telling  the  man  wThat  to  do. 

The  teacher  may  know  even  with  familiarity  all  that 
is  written  of  the  Patriarchal  triumvirate — Abraham, 
Isaac  and  Jacob,  but  he  comes  to  a  fresh  study  of  their 


56  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

history  to  learn  not  more  of  them,  but  of  their  God  as 
he  wrought  with  them  and  in  their  lives — to  study 
afresh  the  God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac  and  of  Jacob,  the 
great  I  AM  of  eternity,  who  is  in  all  human  history 
as  the  God  of  the  individual,  of  the  family,  of  the  na- 
tion. Here  he  learns  of  God  who  reveals  himself  to 
men,  who  moves  with  gracious  and  guiding  power  in 
their  affairs,  who  is  the  prayer-hearing  and  prayer- 
answering  God,  who  is  covenant-making  and  covenant- 
keeping  in  the  wonders  of  his  condescension  and  provi- 
dence, who  moreover  works  out  great  destinies  for 
men  and  crowns  them  with  glory  and  honor — doing 
large  and  gracious  things  for  them  here  with  larger 
things  hereafter. 

Conviction  in  Teaching.  The  God  of  the  Bible 
is  the  God  of  the  Sunday  school  teacher,  and  the 
teacher's  business  and  mission,  august  and  overwhelm- 
ing in  its  greatness,  is  to  represent  God  in  teaching  the 
Scriptures,  to  make  known  his  ways  of  grace  and 
mercy,  of  his  justice  and  power  in  dealing  with  men, 
and  as  being  "glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises, 
doing  wonders."  With  such  a  task  conviction  of  heart 
and  mind  is  imperative,  even  inevitable  if  only  one  can 
realize  into  what  mighty  presence  he  comes.  In  hold- 
ing to  the  one  purpose  of  the  Sunday  school  with  its 
one  text-book,  the  teacher  must  come  to  his  teaching 
with  two  things,  namely,  conviction  as  to  its  doctrine, 
and  seeking  the  Spirit  of  God  to  aid  in  understanding 
his  word  and  in  opening  the  hearts  to  attend  unto  his 
message. 

This  must  not  pass  as  a  mere  platitude  or  common 


TO  TEACH  THE  SCRIPTURES.  57 

place.  It  is  vital,  imperative,  and  lies  at  the  very  heart 
of  Sunday  school  mission  and  aim,  efficiency  and 
achievement.  There  must  be  conviction  concerning  the 
word  of  God  as  to  its  facts  of  history,  conviction  as  to 
its  authorship  and  authority,  conviction  as  to  its  doc- 
trine of  s;n  and  salvation,  conviction  as  to  the  value 
and  power  of  the  cross  in  human  redemption,  convic- 
tion as  to  the  need  of  the  work  of  grace  in  human 
hearts,  for  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  How  the  teacher  does  need  in  his 
study  and  teaching  the  ever  recurring  vision  of  God, 
and  the  fresh  coming  of  the  power  from  on  high. 

This  is  his  inspiration  and  safety.  This  will  keep 
him  in  the  right  spirit  of  teaching,  and  help  him  to 
rightly  interpret  his  great  message.  This  will  make 
him  a  power  in  the  school,  and  the  school  a  power  in 
the  life  of  the  church,  and  the  church  a  power  in  the 
kingdom  of  God.  For  it  is  not  by  human  might  nor 
power,  but  by  his  Spirit,  and  they  shall  be  willing  in 
the  day  of  his  power. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  IN  THE  CHURCH  AS  TEACHEtu 

AT  the  Most  Vital  Point.  This  chapter  has  to 
do  with  the  Third  Person  in  the  Godhead,  and 
moves  almost  exclusively  in  the  realm  of  New  Testa- 
ment conception.  The  thought  at  least  has  clearer, 
stronger,  more  definite  statement  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment Scriptures.  It  is  written  of  the  Son  as  the  Second 
Person,  "It  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should  dwell 
all  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,"  as  indicative 
of  essential  Deity  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  In  the  abun- 
dant light  of  Scripture  it  may  be  also  said,  that  in  the 
Third  Person  there  is  all  fullness  of  the  Godhead,  not 
bodily  of  course,  but  in  fullness  of  Spirit  as  to  Person 
and  power.  Hence  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and 
God  the  Holy  Spirit. 

"The  kingdom  of  God,"  which  is  of  the  heart  and 
cometh  not  with  observation,  "is  not  meat  and  drink, 
but  righteousness,  and  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Spirit."  This  kingdom,  however,  has  its  outward  ex- 
pression in  church  organization,  is  made  visibly  mani- 
fest in  church  life  and  activities,  as  the  instrument  of 
its  growth  in  the  world.  The  church  is  the  called  of 
God  and  the  sent  of  Jesus  Christ,  but  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  the  chief  and  powerful  factor  in  the  calling  and  send- 
ing.   In  the  church  at  Antioch,  for  example,  "the  Holy 

58 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AS  TEACHER.  59 

Spirit  said,  Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul  for  the 
work  whereunto  I  have  called  them.  And  being  sent 
forth  by  the  Holy  Spirit,"  these  two  men  began  the 
first  great  preaching  tour.  Later  Paul  with  his  new 
companion  in  labor,  being  "forbidden  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  preach  the  word  in  Asia,  assayed  to  go  into 
Bythynia;  but  the  Spirit  suffered  them  not."  Then 
came  the  vision  from  Macedonia,  and  they  went,  "as- 
suredly gathering  that  the  Lord  had  called  us  to  preach 
the  gospel  unto  them." 

At  Philippi  Paul  found  his  audience  made  ready, 
waiting  by  the  riverside.  A  woman  named  Lydia,  who 
worshiped  God,  heard  him  preach,  "whose  heart  the 
Lord  opened,  that  she  attended  to  the  word  spoken  by 
Paul."  So  also  in  answer  to  prayer  from  the  Roman 
centurian,  God  met  Simon  Peter  in  a  vision,  and  while 
Peter  thought  on  the  vision,  "the  Spirit  said  unto  him, 
Behold  three  men  seek  thee;  Arise  therefore,  and  get 
thee  down  and  go  with  them,  doubting  nothing,  for 
I  have  sent  them."  The  men,  the  hour  and  the  occa- 
sion met.  For  while  Peter  was  speaking  the  word  to 
the  assembled  company  in  the  Cesarean  home,  the 
Holy  Spirit  came  upon  them  even  as  he  had  come 
upon  the  disciples  at  Jerusalem  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost, and  they  glorified  God,  and  were  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord. 

Always  a  Distinguished  Mark.  Furthermore, 
"The  Spirit  said  unto  Phillip,  Go  near,  and  join  thy- 
self to  this  chariot;"  and  the  preacher  found  a  heart 
made  ready,  fulfilled  his  mission,  and  sent  a  new  be- 
liever on  the  way  rejoicing  after  his  baptism.     Then 


60  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

"the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caught  away  Phillip,  that  the 
eunuch  saw  him  no  more,"  but  he  was  found  in  other 
fields  with  the  same  gospel  of  grace.  So  the  Spirit  of 
God  led  on  in  his  work.  The  word  of  the  Lord  grew 
mightily,  the  disciples  were  greatly  multiplied,  churches 
came  into  being  in  rapid  succession  as  centers  of  gospel 
power  and  propagation.  And  the  men  full  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  were  always  men  of  power. 

One  might  plant,  another  water,  but  God  every- 
where gave  the  increase.  Men  became  then  as  men 
become  now,  co-workers  with  God,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit's  presence  then  and  now  is  the  one  distinguish- 
ing mark  of  those  who  carry  out  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion, whether  with  the  one  church  or  with  the  one  dis- 
ciple. This  was  God's  plan  in  offering  salvation  to  the 
lost,  and  in  building  his  kingdom  among  men.  The 
indwelling  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  church  there- 
fore, as  its  enduement  with  power  from  on  high,  differ- 
entiates the  church  from  all  other  organizations  in 
spiritual  character  and  equipment,  as  it  differs  also 
from  all  others  in  its  mission  and  commission  among 
men. 

The  Third  Person  in  the  Godhead,  as  is  manifest 
throughout  the  Scriptures,  has  special  and  specific  part 
in  consummating  Christ's  work  of  redemption  on  the 
cross.  His  indwelling  in  the  church  is  special,  his 
teaching  in  the  church  specific.  We  must  not  forget 
his  infinite  being  nor  the  wider  range  of  his  work,  nor 
his  sovereignty  in  the  choice  of  method  and  means. 
But  now  as  bearing  on  the  present  purpose,  we  con- 
sider his  operations  on  earth,  in  the  hearts  and  minds 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AS  TEACHER.  61 

of  men,  and  even  more  specifically  in  the  church,  as 
having  his  place  of  power  and  personal  energy  in  its 
organic  life  and  in  the  administration  of  its  affairs. 
For  in  the  church  at  Ephesus  the  elders  were  made 
elders  through  the  Holy  Spirit,  having  their  call  and 
appointment  from  him. 

The  Temple  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  church 
in  this  way  becomes  a  storage  house  of  power  for  giv- 
ing the  gospel  to  the  world,  and  for  saving  the  lost. 
This  makes  the  church  an  organism  as  well  as  an  or- 
ganization, and  endows  it  with  organific  power.  A 
house  is  an  organization,  but  a  structure  of  dead  ma- 
terial, compact  and  built  together  in  completeness  and 
even  beauty,  yet  itself  dead  like  its  brick  and  mortar, 
its  iron  and  wood.  But  the  tree  wonderful  in  its  or- 
ganization is  also  an  organism,  living,  growing,  rich 
in  foliage  and  fruitfulness.  The  running  vine  also  is 
an  organism,  has  its  leaf  and  flower,  its  fragrance  and 
beauty,  with  the  marvelous  power  of  reproducing  itself 
in  other  vines  like  itself. 

An  army  is  an  organization,  a  Masonic  Lodge  is  an 
organization,  but  the  church  of  the  living  God  is  some- 
thing more — it  is  an  organism,  having  spiritual  life, 
bearing  spiritual  fruit,  reproducing  after  its  kind,  and 
making  other  churches  in  building  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  among  the  nations  of  the  world.  It  is  the 
temple  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  wherein  the  Third  Person  in 
the  Godhead  dwells  and  works  his  work  of  grace,  not 
exclusively,  but  distinctively  and  with  gracious  power ; 
and  here  he  surpasses,  if  one  may  dare  say  so,  his  work 
in  building  and  garnishing  the  heavens  in  their  splen^ 


62         THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

dor  at  midday  or  their  glory  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night.  To  save  and  sanctify  is  more  than  the  making 
of  stars,  and  more  than  setting  the  sun  in  the  heavens. 

We  must  hold  steadfastly  to  the  great  thought,  the 
Spirit  of  God  in  the  church  of  God.  This  comes  to 
us  with  the  emphasis  of  revelation.  It  is  a  mighty 
factor  in  the  economics  of  the  kingdom.  He  guides 
the  church  in  its  function  of  teaching,  even  in  the  deep 
things  of  God.  This  is  not  the  work  "which  man's 
wisdom  teaches,  but  which  the  Holy  Spirit  teaches, 
comparing  spiritual  things  with  spiritual." 

Having  His  Abode  in  the  Church.  The  two 
letters  to  the  church  at  Corinth  are  beautiful  and  won- 
derful in  their  scope  of  doctrine.  They  set  out  with 
bold  and  almost  startling  words  the  Spirit's  place,  office 
and  function  in  the  church.  They  magnify  the  single 
church  itself  in  such  fashion  as  would  be  daring  in  any 
other  save  the  words  of  inspiration,  wherein  God  is 
showing  his  walk  and  grace  among  men. 

"To  the  church  of  God  at  Corinth,  sanctified  in 
Christ  Jesus  and  called  to  be  saints,"  wrote  the  great 
apostle,  "Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God, 
and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?"  "The 
temple  of  God  is  holy,  which  temple  ye  are — what 
agreement  hath  the  temple  of  God  with  idols  ?  Ye  are 
the  temple  [not  of  dead  idols  such  as  the  Greeks  had 
but]  of  the  living  God ;  for  as  God  himself  hath  said,  I 
will  dwell  in  them  [as  individuals]  and  walk  among 
them  [which  the  heathen  idols  could  not  do] ,  and  they 
shall  be  my  people."  (i  Cor.  i:  i,  2;  3:  16,  17;  2 
Cor.  6:  16.) 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AS  TEACHER.  63 

Commenting  on  these  high  words,  Meyer,  one  of  the 
ablest  and  for  the  most  part  one  of  the  safest  ex- 
positors, says: 

"The  indwelling  of  God  in  the  church  as  in  his  temple,  and 
the  intercourse  of  his  gracious  rule  (walking  about)  in  it, 
takes  place  through  the  medium  of  his  Spirit.  Paul's  thought 
is  not  that  there  are  several  temples  of  God,  but  that  each 
Christian  community  [or  church,  as  we  would  say]  is  in  a 
spiritual  way  a  temple  of  Jehovah,  the  realized  ideal  of  that 
temple.  There  are  not,  therefore,  several  temples,  but  several 
churches,  each  of  which  is  the  true  spiritual  temple  of  God. 
God  as  he  dwelt  in  the  actual  temple,  dwells  in  the  ideal 
temple  of  the  Christian  church  by  the  gracious  presence, 
working  and  ruling  in  it,  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  whom  God 
communicates  himself.  For  the  Spirit  dwells  and  rules  in 
the  hearts  of  believers  [individual  believers,  but  also  and 
especially],  the  community  is  the  temple." 

An  Example  of  Fact  and  Doctrine.  The 
church  of  God  at  Corinth  is  conspicuous  as  a  typical 
case  among  New  Testament  churches,  and  is  for  our 
instruction  now.  There  was  much  in  its  life  adverse 
to  this  high  thought,  sometimes  to  a  point  of  surprise 
and  even  painfulness.  And  yet  God,  according  to  his 
own  word,  was  in  them,  walking  among  them  and 
working  out  his  gracious  purpose  through  his  Holy 
Spirit.  It  was  the  glory  of  God  in  earthen  vessels,  the 
beauty  and  flash  of  the  diamond  set  in  metal  common 
and  base.  As  a  concrete  case  it  gives  definition  and 
definiteness,  illustration  and  emphasis  to  the  thought  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  church  at  Corinth.  He  had 
his  place  in  the  Corinthian  church  as  distinct  personal- 
ity and  power,  as  God  walking  and  working  among 
them,  revealing  his  glory  and  saving  grace  among  its 


64  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

membership,  as  he  showed  his  presence  in  the  ancient 
temple.  Here  it  was  that  Paul  saw  God  in  the  vision 
as  the  glory  flashing  through,  and  "continued  there  a 
year  and  six  months  teaching  the  word  of  God  among 
them,"  and  his  teaching  like  his  preaching  "was  in 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power."  "And 
many  Corinthians  hearing,  believed,  and  were  bap- 
tized." 

The  same  thing  appears  also  in  the  church  at  Ephe- 
sus,  which  for  that  reason  was  "the  house  of  God,  the 
church  of  the  living  God,  the  ground  and  pillar  of  the 
truth."  To  that  church  in  whose  membership  the  Holy 
Spirit  administered,  and  which  as  a  body  was  set  over 
in  contrast  with  the  gorgeous  temple  of  Diana  built 
by  the  Ephesians  in  that  emporium  of  Grecian  religious 
art  in  honor  and  worship  of  their  goddess,  the  apostle 
wrote  just  as  he  did  to  the  church  at  Corinth,  in  differ- 
ent words  somewhat,  but  with  the  same  thought  and 
meaning. 

"Now  in  Christ  Jesus,  ye  who  were  sometimes  far 
off,  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ,"  that  he 
might  reconcile  both  unto  God  by  the  cross,  for  through 
him  we  both  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father. 
"Now  therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  foreign- 
ers, but  fellow  citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the 
household  of  God;  and  are  built  upon  the  foundation 
of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  be- 
ing chief  cornerstone;  in  whom  all  the  building  fitly 
framed  together  groweth  unto  a  holy  temple  in  the 
Lord:  in  whom  ye  also  are  builded  together  for  a 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AS  TEACHER.  65 

habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit."  (Eph.  2:  13- 
22.) 

As  with  the  church  at  Ephesus  and  the  church  at 
Corinth,  so  with  the  church  today,  whether  in  the 
country  or  village,  town  or  city.  The  Holy  Spirit  in  a 
great  sense  makes  the  church,  and  as  the  author  of 
inspiration  made  the  Scriptures  for  the  churches,  for 
doctrine  and  instruction,  for  reproof,  correction  and 
equipment  in  every  good  work.  The  holy  men  of  old 
spoke  for  God  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  in  the  church  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  the  apostles 
when  swept  by  the  power  from  on  high,  spoke  as  the 
Spirit  gave  them  utterance.  Hence,  too,  the  words  of 
our  risen  Lord,  seven  times  repeated  in  the  letters  to 
the  seven  church  of  Asia  Minor,  Ephesus  among  the 
others,  "He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches." 

The  Spirit's  Office  as  Teacher.  He  works  his 
work  with  sovereignty  as  to  means  and  methods.  "The 
wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  thou  hearest  the  sound 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh  or  whither 
it  goeth;  so  is  everyone  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit."  So 
also  are  all  his  movements ;  not  with  caprice,  however, 
but  with  the  orderliness  of  the  stars  which  he  set  in 
the  heavens,  and  with  the  majesty  and  sweep  of  the 
storm,  but  without  its  roar  or  devestation.  He  is  in 
the  church  for  helping  the  church  in  the  fulfillment  of 
its  mission,  whether  of  preaching  the  gospel  or  teach- 
ing the  Scriptures,  whether  in  the  administration  of  its 
affairs  within  unto  edification  of  the  body,  or  in  its 
5 


66         THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

energies  and  activities  for  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel 
and  the  building  of  the  kingdom. 

This  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  church 
of  God  is  something  additional  to  his  indwelling  with 
individual  believers,  and  calls  for  recognition  and  em- 
phasis as  fact  and  factor  in  the  life  of  the  church.  The 
one  makes  the  brotherhood  of  believers  in  all  coun- 
tries, the  other  makes  the  sisterhood  of  churches 
through  all  centuries.  The  two  are  supplemental,  and 
the  Spirit's  administration  of  the  church  is  largely  by 
means  of  his  ministry  in  the  members  separately. 

With  the  individual  the  Spirit  does  his  gracious  work 
unto  salvation,  with  each  one  severally  and  distinctly. 
He  brings  conviction  of  sin  to  the  heart,  quickens  into 
new  life  of  believing,  and  makes  one  a  new  creature  in 
Christ  Jesus;  he  sanctifies  the  believer  and  performs 
unto  the  finish  the  good  work  he  has  begun,  changing 
him  into  the  same  image  of  his  Lord  from  glory  to 
glory.  So  it  is  that  believers  in  Christ  have  the  wit- 
ness in  themselves,  each  one  for  himself  as  his  own 
blessed  experience  of  grace.  "The  Spirit  himself  bear- 
eth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of 
God,"  each  one  severally.  But  the  Spirit  also  hath 
this  further  and  larger  administration;  he  takes  the 
many,  possibly  greatly  deversified  in  character  and 
condition,  even  more  widely  perhaps  in  race  and  rank, 
and  makes  them,  "whether  Jew  or  Gentile,  where  bond 
or  free,"  into  one  body  like  the  church  of  God  at  Cor- 
inth or  Ephesus.  By  his  workmanship  they  become 
"the  body  of  Christ"  and  members  in  particular,  a 
"building  fitly  framed  together ;  they  grow  into  a  holy 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AS  TEACHER.  67 

temple  of  the  Lord,  and  are  builded  together  for  an 
habitation  of  God" — God  in  his  own  workmanship 
making  a  house  for  himself. 

Severally  they  have  a  common  experience  of  grace, 
having  "been  all  made  to  drink  into  one  Spirit,"  and 
by  the  one  Spirit  also  they  were  fitted  for  baptism,  and 
were  baptized  into  his  name  with  reference  to  the  one 
body.  The  Spirit  works  with  them  severally,  and  in 
the  body  as  a  whole,  to  unify  and  electrify,  to  edify 
the  church  as  the  temple  of  God,  for  its  efficiency  and 
the  consummation  of  its  ideal  life  and  purpose.  As  in 
the  electric  lighting  of  a  house,  there  are  many  wires 
distributed  throughout  its  several  parts;  then  comes 
the  touch  of  the  one  dynamo  through  the  one  wire,  and 
every  wire  becomes  a  living  wire,  transmitting  power 
and  energy  which  break  out,  flooding  the  whole  build- 
ing with  light;  then  under  its  touch  and  working 
might  the  building  is  electrified,  and  its  life  is  in  the 
form  of  light.  The  Spirit's  presence  in  the  church  is 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  church  of  God. 

The  Saviour's  Promise  to  Send  the  Spirit  as 
Teacher.  As  the  underlying  and  all  pervasive 
thought  of  all  that  is  said  here,  and  as  expressive  of 
what  is  written  throughout  the  Scriptures,  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  our  Teacher  in  the  teaching  service  of  the 
church,  the  aid  of  the  Sunday  school  teacher  in  study 
and  exposition.  This  does  not  exhaust,  but  surely  lies 
within  the  scope  of  the  Saviour's  promise  to  send  "the 
Spirit  of  truth"  as  the  advocate  of  truth.  His  words 
then  are  living  words  now,  and  should  have  their  place 
of  power  and  energy  in  the  church  today.    They  make 


68  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

his  people  a  teaching  people,  his  church  a  school  for 
education  and  training  in  the  things  pertaining  to  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

As  he  said  to  that  first  group  of  disciples  so  he  says 
to  us  and  to  the  same  end:  "I  will  pray  the  Father, 
and  he  shall  give  you  another  Comforter,  that  he  may 
abide  with  you  forever,  even  the  Spirit  of  truth."  "He 
dwelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you."  "The  Spirit 
of  truth  shall  testify  of  me."  "He  shall  convict  the 
world  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment; 
of  sin  because  they  believe  not  on  me."  "The  Spirit  of 
truth  shall  guide  you  into  all  truth."  "He  shall  glorify 
me,  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine  and  shall  show  it  unto 
you."  "He  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all 
things  to  your  remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have  said 
unto  you."     (John  14:  16,  17,  26;  15:  26;  16:  7,  8, 

In  fulfillment  of  the  Saviour's  promise,  and  in  an- 
swer to  his  prayer  to  the  Father,  the  Third  Person  of 
the  Godhead  came  as  the  Spirit  of  truth,  and  on  the 
lofty  mission  as  Teacher  in  the  church  of  God.  The 
Spirit  is  the  guardian  of  doctrine,  our  guide  in  its 
understanding,  and  its  enforcement  in  our  teaching  the 
Scriptures.  It  is  his  pre-eminently  to  glorify  Christ  in 
us,  and  in  our  teaching,  to  show  his  redemptive  work 
worth  while  for  the  need  of  sinful  and  ruined  hearts, 
and  to  make  it  effective  in  saving  the  lost — making 
them  alive  in  Christ  Jesus,  holy  in  character,  Christlike 
in  life  and  service.  It  is  of  him  to  bring  conviction  of 
doctrine,  both  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  and  the  doc- 
trines of  God  our  Saviour.    It  is  not  of  the  Spirit  of 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AS  TEACHER.  69 

truth,  nor  of  one  under  his  tutilege  and  power,  to  dis- 
honor Jesus  Christ,  or  in  any  sense  deny  him  his  es- 
sential Deity,  or  dismantle  him  of  the  insignia  of  his 
divinity  or  his  eternal  kingship.  "Wherefore  I  give 
you  to  understand,"  said  the  man  who  learned  through 
mighty  experience  of  the  Lordship  of  Jesus,  who  lived 
and  wrought,  finished  his  work  and  died  in  its  blessed 
power,  "no  man  speaking  by  the  Spirit  of  God  calleth 
Jesus  accursed ;  and  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  Lord, 
but  by  the  Holy  Spirit." 

Heavenly  Connection  and  Consummation. 
This  is  the  connection  of  the  church  with  heaven,  and 
this  its  mission  and  equipment  as  a  school  of  instruc- 
tion. It  is  of  God,  and  speaks  for  God  as  a  preaching 
agency,  also  in  its  teaching,  and  in  all  its  activities  for 
the  kingdom.  This  high  view  of  church  life  and  en- 
deavor does  not  outreach  the  word  and  warrant  of  the 
Scripture.  The  church  has  been  in  operation  through 
centuries,  in  the  fulfillment  of  God's  scheme  of  re- 
deeming grace  and  for  its  consummation  in  the  ages 
to  come.  Our  Lord  during  the  days  of  his  flesh  trans- 
ferred his  residence  from  heaven  to  this  world,  and 
tabernacled  among  men.  Those  who  knew  him  beheld 
his  glory  as  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of 
God,  full  of  grace  and  truth.  He  finished  his  work  in 
dying  on  the  cross,  and  rose  triumphant  from  the 
grave ;  he  committed  to  the  church  the  evangelizing  of 
the  world,  and  ascended  on  high,  entering  again  the 
glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world. 

Then  in  fulfillment  of  our  Lord's  promise,  the  Third 


70  TEE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Person  of  the  Godhead,  inaugurating  the  dispensation 
of  the  Spirit  came  in  the  fullness  of  power.  It  was  a 
transfer,  so  to  speak,  of  his  residence  to  this  world,  and 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  the  church  as  "the  temple  of 
the  living  God,"  for  its  vitalizing  and  for  its  imperial 
conquest.  This  greatly  magnifies  the  church  in  its 
mission  and  service  for  the  kingdom  of  God.  It  puts 
the  church  in  communication  with  heaven,  and  all  its 
activities  in  connection  with  heavenly  forces.  It  makes 
of  the  church  something  of  a  wireless  station  which 
flings  out  the  cry  of  distress  over  the  distance  and 
darkness,  and  is  answered  in  the  coming  of  help.  We 
call  and  God  answers ;  God  calls  and  we  answer.  This 
is  the  establishment  of  communication  between  heaven 
and  earth,  and  the  union  of  human  and  divine  forces  in 
God's  own  gracious  way. 

The  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit  from  of  old  until  now 
comes  in  answer  to  prayer.  Not  a  formal  saying  of 
prayers,  but  earnest  calling  upon  God,  with  diligent 
searching  of  the  Scriptures  and  commitment  of  our- 
selves to  his  ways.  The  church  must  be  considered  a 
school  of  instruction  and  education  in  the  ways  and 
deep  things  of  God,  his  chosen  instrument  for  mak- 
ing the  kingdom,  and  his  appointed  channel  for  the  out- 
go of  divine  energy  through  human  agencies.  It  bears 
its  commission  and  promise  of  success  from  the  throne, 
and  is  set  in  purpose  and  hope  for  the  final  coronation 
of  the  King  of  kings. 

So  the  church  local  bearing  everywhere  the  divine 
mark,  becomes  a  mighty  factor  for  the  church  uni- 
versal, the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AS  TEACHER.  71 

born.  And  the  Sunday  school  of  today  as  the  teach- 
ing service  and  a  method  of  instruction,  is  one  of  the 
forces  working  to  that  mighty  event.  Its  teachers  will 
find  their  fullness  of  reward  in  its  triumphant  consum- 
mation. That  will  be  "the  glorious  church,  without 
spot,  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing" — the  bride  elect, 
adorned  for  her  husband  and  made  ready  for  the  mar- 
riage of  the  Lamb. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A  SCRIPTURAL  PEDAGOGY  FOR  THIS  SCHOOL. 

A  SCRIPTURAL  Pedagogy.  The  Sunday  school 
requires  a  pedagogy  in  accord  with  its  mission 
and  purpose,  a  pedagogy  which  in  principle  and  method 
holds  itself  subject  to  what  the  Scriptures  teach,  and 
which  seeks  to  make  scriptural  truth  effective  in  mind 
and  heart.  As  the  science  of  teaching,  pedagogy  may 
yet  come  to  its  most  commanding  opportunity  in  teach- 
ing the  Scriptures. 

Take,  for  example,  the  Master's  talk  with  the  two 
disciples  on  the  way  to  Emmaus  on  the  morning  of 
the  resurrection.  He  found  them  lost  in  disappoint- 
ment and  darkness,  going  away  from  the  empty  sep- 
ulchre and  the  risen  Christ.  Withholding  his  identity 
he  interpreted  the  tragedy  of  the  cross  in  the  light  of 
Scripture,  made  his  appeal  to  them  from  the  prophets, 
got  in  behind  their  disbelief  and  darkness,  "interpreted 
to  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things  concerning 
himself,"  opened  their  minds  to  understand  the  Scrip- 
tures, how  it  behooved  Christ  to  suffer  these  things 
and  to  enter  into  his  glory. 

His  gracious  words  were  heavenlit,  and  reached 
their  mark.  It  was  a  new  day  in  the  world's  history, 
and  also  in  the  experience  of  the  two  disciples.  The 
recent  event  took  on  new  meaning  in  their  eyes.    Their 

72 


A  SCRIPTURAL  PEDAGOGY..  73 

hearts  burned  within  them  as  he  opened  the  Scriptures ; 
their  hope  came  back  as  if  itself  risen  from  the  dead ; 
their  sadness  was  turned  into  joy;  they  hastened  in 
return  'o  Jerusalem  with  the  world's  new  message, 
saying,  they  had  seen  the  Lord,  and  he  had  talked  with 
them  in  the  way.  This  was  high  scriptural  pedagogy, 
and  Jesus  was  the  master  pedagogist,  for  he  knew  the 
Scriptures,  and  knew  what  was  in  man,  and  needed  not 
that  any  should  tell  him.  He  set  the  Scriptures  within 
the  human  heart,  and  the  heart  grew  warm  with  new 
life  and  hope. 

An  Effort  at  Definition.  I  say  effort,  partly 
from  a  sense  of  inadequacy,  but  partly  because  when 
we  come  into  the  realm  of  thinking,  and  into  that 
deeper  realm  we  call  feeling,  where  mind  operates  on 
mind,  and  spirit  moves  on  spirit,  definition  is  never 
easy,  and  sometimes  well  nigh  impossible. 

"Below  the  surface  stream,  shallow  and  light, 
Of  what  we  say  we  feel,  below  the  stream, 
As  light,  of  what  we  think  we  feel;  there  flows, 
With  noiseless  current,  strong,  obscure,  and  deep, 
The  central  stream  of  what  we  feci  indeed." 

The  most  philosophical  operation  perhaps  within 
the  human  soul  is  when  the  Spirit  of  God  "bears  wit- 
ness with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  sons  of  God" — 
Spirit  calling  to  spirit,  our  spirit  answering  to  his 
Spirit — his  begetting  anew  and  his  call,  my  child,  with 
the  answer,  Abba  Father.  Then  follows  the  glorious 
consciousness  of  sonship  and  joint  heirship.  There  is 
nothing  deeper  than  this,  nothing  higher,  nothing  more 
simple  or  real,  nothing  more  rapturous  or  mysterious. 


74  TEE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CEUROE. 

The  man  knows  simply  because  he  has  the  witness 
within  himself,  knows  of  the  onward  sweep  and  rush 
of  joy  in  a  new  found  life  and  hope. 

In  this  sphere  of  human  experience  it  is  not  easy  to 
define  the  laws  of  mental  movement.  And  yet  much 
has  been  done  to  discern  and  define  their  course.  Peda- 
gogy is  educational  psychology ;  it  applies  the  facts  of 
psychology  in  the  process  of  teaching,  with  reference 
for  the  most  part  to  educating  the  child.  Scriptural 
pedagogy  is  the  use  of  educational  psychology  in  teach- 
ing Scripture  truth  with  Scripture  aim  and  purpose. 
All  teaching  must  have  ethical  aim,  all  religious  teach- 
ing must  have  religious  aim.  It  is  not  the  office  of 
psychology  in  either  case  to  choose  that  aim,  but  to 
discover  and  furnish  the  tools  for  its  onward  working 
and  consummation.  The  Scriptures  rather  set  the  aim 
in  "the  mark  of  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus." 

Pedagogy  in  the  Sunday  school,  distinguished  from 
its  working  elsewhere,  must  hold  steadfastly  to  the 
threefold  purpose  to  study,  to  teach,  to  learn  the  holy 
Scriptures,  with  the  Scripture  aim  to  know  God  and 
his  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  whom  he  hath  sent,  and  whom 
to  know  aright  is  life  eternal.  Scripture  knowledge  is 
the  knowledge  of  knowing  God;  this  is  primal  and 
basal,  all  else  must  contribute  to  this.  Surely  the  high 
art  of  teaching  never  contemplated  a  nobler  purpose 
nor  set  itself  to  a  task  more  inviting  or  of  more  thril- 
ling inspiration. 

Standing  Within  the  Holy  of  Holies.  Psy- 
chology is  the  study  of  the  human  mind,  as  Botany  is 


A  SCRIPTURAL  PF.DAQOQY.  75 

a  study  of  the  flowers,  and  Astronomy  a  study  of  the 
stars.  "The  undevout  astronomer  is  mad,"  and  even 
more  the  undevout  psychologist.  "The  further  I  go," 
said  Newton,  in  the  mighty  sweep  of  his  thought,  "the 
further  I  go,  the  more  do  I  find  traces  of  the  divine 
workmanship,  and  the  nearer  do  I  come  to  his  throne." 
Another  master  in  the  realm  of  thinking  said:  "Two 
things  fill  me  with  awe,  the  starry  heaven  above,  and 
my  soul  within  me."  The  wonders  of  the  human  mind 
with  its  manifest  limits  and  its  immense  capacity  for 
vast  outreach,  far  surpass  the  wonders  of  the  stars, 
whether  in  material,  mechanism,  or  movement. 

All  the  glory  of  the  heavenly  bodies  do  not  equal  the 
glory  of  thinking,  of  knowing,  of  loving.  In  the  pres- 
ence of  either  we  stand  uncovered  and  overawed  at 
what  God  hath  wrought.  The  more  intelligent  we  are, 
the  deeper  our  sense  of  awe  and  wonder,  and  the  more 
devout  should  we  be  in  our  worship  at  this  alter.  The 
heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  but  the  human  mind 
finds  his  mercy  fresh  every  morning,  and  also  his  cre- 
ative energy  and  his  preserving  power.  And  catching 
the  song  which  the  angels  sing,  we  worship  him  in 
spirit  and  in  truth ;  worship  him  in  the  beauty  of  holi- 
ness, toward  his  holy  temple  where  his  name  is  written 
and  his  glory  dwells ;  worship  him,  "who  is  glorious  in 
holiness,  fearful  in  praises,  doing  wonders." 

A  Pedagogy  to  Match  the  Office.  To  bring 
the  Scripture  and  the  human  mind  together  so  as  to 
get  their  affinity  one  for  the  other,  is  the  work  of  the 
Sunday  school  teacher.  This  is  his  office,  his  function, 
his  crowding  and  crowning  task.     We  see,  therefore, 


76         TEE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CEVRCE. 

that  the  Sunday  school,  being  distinct  throughout,  as 
to  pupil  and  teacher,  as  to  lesson  study,  environment 
and  purpose,  requires  a  pedagogy  to  match.  In  one 
sense,  of  course,  there  is  only  one  pedagogy,  whether 
for  this  school  or  for  the  secular  school,  but  Sunday 
school  pedagogy  must  so  apply  the  laws  of  teaching 
as  to  meet  Sunday  school  conditions.  Carelessness 
here  is  criminal,  and  failure  of  the  truth  here  may  be 
fatal  in  the  most  momentous  of  all  issues. 

Pedagogy  or  psychology  turned  to  educational  ac- 
count in  the  Sunday  school,  must  be  scriptural  in  a 
threefold  sense :  ( i )  In  the  sense  of  teaching  scriptural 
truth,  and  holding  to  the  one  purpose  of  the  school  to 
teach  the  Scriptures  as  the  word  of  God;  (2)  in  the 
sense  of  recognizing  and  taking  account  of  the  re- 
ligious nature  and  spiritual  need  of  the  pupil,  as  taught 
in  the  Scriptures,  whether  child  or  adult;  (3)  in  the 
sense  of  meeting  that  need,  as  provided  in  the  Scrip- 
tures by  the  atonement  of  Christ  made  in  shedding  his 
blood  on  the  cross,  that  God  might  be  just  and  the 
justifler  of  all  who  believe  in  Jesus. 

The  child  is  religious  by  nature,  but  becomes  a  child 
of  God  by  grace  through  faith;  is  born  by  natural 
birth  into  the  kingdom  of  nature,  but  only  by  spiritual 
birth  is  he  born  into  the  spiritual  kingdom ;  and  so  be- 
comes a  member  of  the  heavenly  family  and  of  the 
household  of  faith,  heir  of  God,  and  joint  heir  with 
Christ.  Whether  child  or  adult,  there  is  no  difference 
in  this  matter ;  each  becomes  a  Christian,  not  by  educa- 
tion and  culture,  but  by  regeneration.  We  become  the 
children  of  God  in  being  born  of  God  through  faith  in 


A  SCRIPTURAL  PEDAGOGY.  77 

Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  (from 
above  and  from  without)  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  which  he  has  given  unto  us. 

Pedagogy  needs  to  walk  humbly  here,  and  in  the 
light  of  Scripture.  Failing  at  this  crucial  juncture  it 
is  inadequate  for  Sunday  school  teaching,  may  go 
astray  in  violating  the  truth  of  God  and  in  endanger- 
ing the  soul's  highest  interest.  Even  Sunday  school 
pedagogy,  which  should  be  of  highest  character,  is  at 
best  only  a  tool  for  workmanship,  and  all  at  last  de- 
pends on  the  teacher  who  has  it  in  hand  for  use.  The 
surgeon's  knife  is  one  thing,  and  should  be  of  the  fit- 
test, but  the  surgeon  himself  is  the  chief  factor,  with 
his  skill  in  diagnosis,  his  delicate  and  masterful  touch 
in  operating. 

In  this  school,  therefore,  we  need  a  scriptural  peda- 
gogy with  scriptural  teachers,  trained  in  heart  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  in  mind  for  discerning  and  doing 
the  work  of  the  Spirit — teachers  as  co-workers  with 
God  in  God's  truth  and  in  God's  kingdom  of  grace, 
for  meeting  the  deepest  needs  of  the  human  heart, 
whether  of  child  or  adult. 

For  the  Adult  as  Well  as  the  Child.  We 
would  not  slacken  our  study  of  child  nature,  but  would 
urge  all  diligence  and  care  in  meeting  the  needs  of  its 
unfolding  wonder.  The  child  as  a  diamond  may  come 
to  shine  as  a  diadem  in  honor  of  the  King  if  saved 
through  the  blood  of  the  cross.  We  need  to  realize 
that  Sunday  school  pedagogy,  or  educational  psychol- 
ogy, so  far  as  it  applies  to  this  school,  must  make  pro- 
vision for  dealing  with  the  adult  mind.     For  while 


78  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

holding  the  child  as  its  ward  for  the  kingdom,  the 
Sunday  school  is  coming  more  and  more  to  command- 
ing place  among  those  who  have  come  to  years.  Men 
everywhere  are  finding  in  it  an  opportunity  for  spiritual 
culture  and  wide  usefulness,  with  the  Scriptures  as  the 
fittest  thing  for  their  study,  and  as  meeting  their  deep- 
est need.  Psychology  if  it  shall  serve  in  the  kingdom 
of  God  must  not  part  company  with  his  word,  and 
must  provide  for  teaching  the  Scriptures  to  those  of 
mature  years. 

Our  Lord  dealt  almost  exclusively  with  the  adult 
mind,  and  in  every  stage  of  training  or  want  of  train- 
ing, and  in  every  stratum  of  human  society  and  social 
life.  So  with  his  disciples  who  took  up  his  work  after 
him.  The  Scriptures  were  the  basis  of  their  hope,  and 
the  subject  of  their  teaching.  Their  work  was  with 
adults;  and  the  conquests  of  the  cross  were  made 
among  men  and  women,  some  of  its  richest  trophies 
coming  from  the  slums  and  other  unexpected  quarters 
then  as  now.  This  in  nowise  is  to  the  disparagement 
of  children  or  childhood,  but  emphasizes  a  phase  of 
Sunday  school  pedagogy  which  has  scarcely  found 
recognition  among  us,  and  certainly  has  not  been  ac- 
corded its  rank  and  power.  Is  it  not  possible  to  go  too 
far,  that  we  have  gone  too  far  already  in  singling  out 
and  distinguishing  any  period  of  human  life  as  "the 
conversion  period?"  The  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God 
is  for  the  lost,  child  and  adult  alike,  and  is  the  power 
of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth. 

Child  Mind  and  Adult  Mind.  But  after  all,  do 
the  facts  require  or  even  warrant  the  difference  and  dis- 


A  SCRIPTURAL  PEDAGOGY.  79 

tinction,  which  some  claim,  as  between  childhood  and 
manhood?  Certainly  the  Scriptures  make  no  differ- 
ence between  them  as  to  their  spiritual  need,  or  as  to 
the  process  of  their  coming  into  the  grace  and  kingdom 
of  God.  If  the  child  be  not  lost  as  to  his  spiritual  con- 
dition, then  Christ  is  not  the  child's  Saviour.  He  came 
to  call  sinners  to  repentance,  to  seek  and  save  the  lost, 
whether  child  or  adult.  So  run  the  provisions  of  grace 
and  his  saving  power,  and  there  must  be  no  abridge- 
ment in  our  teaching. 

Those  dying  in  infancy,  we  are  happy  in  believing, 
are  saved  and  people  the  heavenly  city.  Not,  however, 
through  any  holiness  or  inherited  covenant  relation, 
but  through  the  provision  which  God  has  made  in  the 
atonement.  They  are  "safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus,"  and 
like  others  sweep  through  the  gates  of  the  new  Jeru- 
salem washed  in  the  blood  of  the  cross,  and  sing  with 
the  redeemed  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb. 

In  this  matter,  however,  of  adults  and  children,  I 
am  not  writing  of  infants,  but  of  those  having  come  to 
years  of  accountability,  whenever  that  is.  Unlike  the 
adult  in  sinning,  yet  like  him  in  the  sinfulness  of  his 
nature,  the  child  is  also  lost,  and  in  need  of  being  saved 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ,  and  through 
the  quickening  and  renewing  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Child  and  adult  alike  need  to  come  to  repentance 
toward  God  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  each  one  for  himself  in  his  own  individual  act. 

Educational  Psychology.  This  scriptural  view 
of  the  common  need  and  common  process  of  child  and 
adult  is  fundamental,  and  in  accord  with  the  scientific 


80  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

thought  in  the  study  of  child  nature.  Even  from  the 
standpoint  of  psychology  and  pedagogy,  a  difference 
in  years  makes  no  such  difference  in  mental  condition 
and  process,  as  is  claimed  by  some.  In  his  Psychology 
of  Thinking,  Professor  Miller,  of  Wisconsin  Normal 
School,  emphasizes  the  "Unity  and  continuity  of  the 
mind;"  that  the  one  mind  persists  through  all  the 
stages  of  childhood,  youth  and  adolescence,  coming  to 
manhood  with  unbroken  continuity  in  identity  and  in- 
dividuality; that  the  mind  is  the  same  through  all  the 
stages,  only  there  is  enlargement  in  growth  and  de- 
velopment ;  and  that  the  mind,  each  one  in  itself,  is  one, 
not  having  many  faculties,  but  in  its  oneness  function- 
ing in  many  and  wonderful  ways — as  in  memory  or 
will,  in  intellect,  imagination  or  feeling.  He  cautions 
us,  too,  against  going  too  far  in  distinguishing  between 
the  child  mind  and  the  adult  mind,  especially  the  un- 
trained mind  of  the  adult. 

Differences  there  are,  of  course,  in  development,  but 
not  in  the  minds  inherent  capacity  to  function  nor  in 
the  process  of  functioning.  Mind  is  mind,  remember- 
ing is  remembering,  no  matter  in  what  degree  or 
whether  of  adult  or  child.  A  giant  or  a  child  may 
pick  up  a  toy,  but  the  toy  is  the  same  and  the  process  of 
picking  it  up  is  the  same.  A  child  or  philosopher  may 
love  or  hope  or  believe,  and  the  process  is  the  same 
with  child  and  philosopher.  God  knows  the  way  to 
the  human  heart,  and  the  process  of  the  human  mind ; 
and  whether  adult  or  child,  whether  with  trained  or 
untrained  mind,  one  believes  in  Jesus  Christ  as  his 
Saviour,  and  has  the  privilege  of  becoming  the  son 


A  SCRIPTURAL  PEDAGOGY.  81 

of  God.  They  are  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will 
of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God,  being 
made  willing  through  his  Spirit  in  the  day  of  his 
power. 

Apprehension  of  Spiritual  Truth.  To  learn 
of  God,  to  know  and  worship  him — the  apprehension 
of  spiritual  truth — is  a  distinct  quality  of  the  human 
mind,  and  separates  as  by  a  great  gulf  between  man 
and  the  rest  of  the  animal  creation.  It  is  inherent,  and 
not  a  question  of  how  old  or  how  young;  is  of  the  child 
mind,  and  of  the  adult  mind,  trained  and  untrained 
alike ;  it  is  not  a  matter  of  culture  or  training,  and  yet 
is  itself  capable  of  the  largest  culture.  Speaking  after 
the  manner  of  psychology,  the  human  mind  functions 
in  religion,  as  well  as  in  memory  or  will,  seeking  and 
calling  for  God,  hearing  and  answering  the  call  which 
God  makes. 

"There  is  something  in  man ;  something,  call  it  what 
you  may,  that  sees  the  invisible,  feels  the  intangible, 
hears  the  inaudible,"  and  this  is  true  with  both  the  child 
and  the  adult,  whether  trained  or  untrained.  For  ex- 
ample, when  Moses  endured  as  seeing  him  who  is  in- 
visible ;  as  when  Samuel  heard  God's  call  in  the  night, 
and  Eli  perceived  that  the  Lord  had  called  the  child; 
or  as  Jesus  at  the  well  met  the  woman  of  Samaria, 
altogether  untrained  and  with  her  moral  sense  well 
night  dead,  yet  gave  her  the  most  tremendous  facts 
and  spoke  to  her  the  most  metaphysical  word  that  ever 
fell  from  his  lips — if  one  may  dare  distinguish  between 
his  wonderful  words :  "God  is  a  spirit,  and  they  that 
worship  him,  must  worship  in  spirit  and  truth."    Ah, 


82  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

we  know  not  how  much  the  untrained  and  sinful 
women  apprehended  the  great  truth,  but  it  made  her 
forget  her  water  pot  and  her  thirst  for  the  water  of 
the  well,  gave  her  a  new  life  and  light  within,  a  new 
message  for  the  city.  We  underestimate  the  capacity 
of  the  untrained  adult,  and  also  of  the  child  for  the 
deep  things  of  God,  and  for  the  wonders  of  redemp- 
tion. They  discern  in  surprising  quickness  and  full- 
ness the  sin  within  and  the  abundant  mercy  of  God, 
the  eyes  of  their  understanding  being  enlightened. 

If  psychology  fail  to  discern  this  basal  and  essential 
quality  of  the  human  mind,  we  seem  to  be  coming  upon 
mental  materialism,  and  moral  sense  seems  to  be  merg- 
ing into  matter.  If  pedagogy  take  no  account  of  these 
facts,  and  fail  to  meet  these  needs  and  calls  for  help, 
then  there  is  failure  at  the  crucial  and  critical  point, 
and  darkness  where  light  is  most  needed — direful  fail- 
ure to  discern  the  deep  things  of  God  and  man.  Not 
to  teach  the  Scriptures  or  to  be  unscriptural  in  this 
school  for  teaching  the  Scripture  in  its  relation  to  the 
most  momentous  issues  of  the  human  soul,  is  to  be  un- 
pedagogical;  and  educational  psychology  comes  short 
at  the  point  of  the  golden  crown  for  its  own  coronation 
as  a  noble  and  exact  science. 

For  Teachers  Untrained  in  Pedagogy.  Mean- 
while there  is  need  for  a  word  of  caution  and  encour- 
agement ;  of  caution  on  the  one  hand  because  there  is 
danger  of  too  much  ado  in  some  quarters  as  to  the 
value  and  function  of  pedagogy  in  Sunday  school  teach-' 
ing;  of  encouragement,  on  the  other  hand,  lest  those 
teachers  lose  hope  who  have  had  no  training  in  scien- 


A  SCRIPTURAL  PEDAGOGY.  83 

tific  teaching — possibly  no  technical  training  at  all  for 
their  holy  and  august  work.  In  the  Sunday  school 
there  is  need  for  heart  training,  which  out  of  all  com- 
pare is  the  chief  thing,  and  which  has  wrought  wonders 
in  the  absence  of  psychological  education.  This  should 
be  magnified,  though  of  course  not  to  disparage  the 
highest  and  best  training  or  as  being  inconsistent  with 
the  technique  of  the  art. 

Psychology  in  its  new  phases  and  theory,  according 
to  Professor  Munsterberg,  of  Harvard,  dates  back 
only  to  the  early  sixties,  and  pedagogy  or  psychology 
applied  to  educational  processes,  is  yet  well  inside  its 
first  decade.  While  the  learned  professor  writes  as  a 
master  magnifying  his  art,  yet  he  is  beautifully  modest 
and  cautious;  he  assures  us  that  psychology  has  not 
come  to  its  full,  and  much  less  pedagogy.  Much  of 
value  has  been  done,  but  he  reminds  those  who  are 
bold  over  much  that  there  are  vast  fields  yet  unex- 
plored, and  even  a  lack  of  certainty  in  much  of  what 
is  claimed. 

Psychology  may  yet  give  us  a  more  certain  word  and 
a  better  pedagogy,  but  it  is  rash  to  demand  them  as 
indispensable  to  this  school,  and  more  than  rash  to 
demand  that  we  quadrate  the  Scriptures  with  what  is 
taught  in  these  departments  of  learning,  since  they  are 
still  unsettled  and  problematic.  For  without  their 
agency,  and  before  their  discovery  wonders  have  been 
wrought  for  the  kingdom  of  God  among  men,  both  in 
teaching  and  preaching.  Better  have  the  Scriptures  in 
its  saving  power  without  psychology,  than  psychology 
even  at  its  best  without  the  Scriptures. 


84  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Promises  More  for  the  Future.  And  yet  this 
comparison  must  not  be  set  down  as  adverse  to  a 
noble  science,  or  what  may  yet  become  a  noble  science. 
For  educational  psychology  may  yet  render  great  serv- 
ice in  the  domain  of  mind,  and  open  vast  possibilities 
in  showing  us  wondrous  things  out  of  God's  written 
law.  The  sum  of  the  matter,  therefore,  is:  Let  psy- 
chology and  pedagogy  be  accorded  their  place  of  rank 
even  in  Sunday  school  teaching,  not  as  opposing,  but 
as  serving  God's  word.  There  is  room  and  need  for 
the  devout  student  in  this  field  of  research,  where  he 
works  among  the  mysteries  of  mind  and  heart,  and  is 
coming  all  the  while  nearer  to  where  God's  throne  is. 

But  meantime  it  is  worth  while  to  remember  and  re- 
count what  has  been  wrought  without  technical  train- 
ing, by  the  almost  countless  Sunday  school  workers 
today  and  back  in  former  years,  and  even  former  cen- 
turies. It  becomes  us  like  Moses  before  the  burning 
bush  to  stand  uncovered  in  modest  recognition  of  this 
one  mighty  fact.  We  mark  with  enthusiasm  the  on- 
ward march  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  that  it 
pleased  God  oftentimes  to  set  at  naught  the  wisdom  of 
the  wise ;  and  that  his  kingdom  comes  not  by  the  entic- 
ing words  of  man's  wisdom,  but  in  the  demonstration 
of  the  Spirit  and  of  power.  Crowns  of  glory  await 
the  teachers  in  this  school  who  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness. They  shall  shine  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever; 
they  shall  hold  their  rank  among  the  heavenly  hosts 
which  live  and  reign  beyond  where  the  stars  are  shin- 
ing. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  TEACHER'S  VISION  OF  GOD. 

MADE  Ready  in  Heart.  The  Sunday  school 
teacher,  as  viewed  throughout  these  pages,  re- 
quires spiritual  qualification  as  heart  equipment.  His 
teaching,  while  it  must  be  teaching  as  measured  by  the 
rules  of  the  schoolroom,  must  also  be  spiritual  in  char- 
acter, so  as  to  meet  its  purpose  and  aim.  This  re- 
quirement relates  to  his  own  experience  of  grace,  to 
his  experiential  conception  of  truth,  to  his  study  of 
the  Scriptures  and  preparation  for  teaching.  Having 
this  experience  for  himself  will  give  tone  to  all  his 
bearing  in  the  class,  and  will  flavor  all  his  methods  of 
instruction.  This  outflow  of  spiritual  life  in  thought 
and  discernment,  may  move  with  distinctive  power, 
and  yet  move  in  well-appointed  channels  on  schedule 
lines.  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way  his  wonders  to 
perform,  but  never  haphazard  or  without  order  either 
in  nature  or  grace. 

"God  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  dark- 
ness hath  shined  in  our  hearts  to  give  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ."  So  he  works  in  nature,  and  so  also  in  the 
kingdom  of  his  grace.  This  is  for  each  teacher,  one 
by  one  and  each  one  for  himself.  A  person  needs  to 
preserve  his  own  individuality,  and  a  consecrated  in- 

85 


86  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

dividuality  is  always  an  element  of  might  and  efficiency 
in  mastering  a  task.  What  is  presented  here  for  Sun- 
day school  teachers  may  be  counted  an  ideal,  even  a 
high  and  far-away  ideal,  and  yet  it  is  a  real  need  and 
possible  attainment — at  least  in  a  measure,  but  an  ever- 
increasing  measure.  It  is  an  ideal  surely  worth  work- 
ing for,  and  must  be  kept  in  mind  by  the  teacher  in 
maintaining  for  himself  a  high  standard  in  spirit  and 
purpose.  "If  any  man  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of 
God,  who  giveth  liberally  and  upbraideth  not." 

Such  teachers  in  the  pastor's  college  of  teachers  will 
give  tone  to  the  school,  character  and  dignity  to  the 
curriculum,  fitness  and  efficiency  in  the  method  of  in- 
struction. This  spiritual  equipment  finds  apt  and  ade- 
quate expression  in  the  title  of  this  chapter — the  teach- 
er's vision  of  God.  It  is  needed  in  teaching  all  grades, 
in  dealing  with  the  adult  and  the  child  mind,  even  the 
youngest.  It  is  needed  in  every  lesson,  both  in  prepara- 
tion and  when  the  teacher  meets  the  class  face  to  face, 
mind  to  mind  for  teaching.  The  teacher  who  has  not 
seen  God  in  spiritual  vision  will  never  see  the  pupil's 
heart  or  the  deeper  and  richer  meaning  of  the  sacred 
Scriptures.  For  him  there  will  be  failure,  and  he  will 
fall  short  at  the  vital  point  and  in  the  crucial  moment. 
It  is  only  the  vision  of  God  for  oneself  that  can  give 
the  right  spirit  in  teaching,  the  spirit  so  indefinable  and 
yet  so  indispensable  for  great  work  and  high  ends. 

Oftentimes  the  spirit  of  teaching  is  more  powerful 
than  either  its  method  or  substance,  not  more  im- 
portant perhaps,  but  more  powerful  and  effective.  It 
is  what  may  be  called  the  atmosphere  of  the  school- 


TEACHER'S  VISION  OF  00 D.  87 

room  or  class,  or  of  the  teacher  with  his  scholars,  and 
carries  the  elements  of  life  and  of  life-giving  efficacy. 
Such  teachers  almost  by  spiritual  instinct  and  affinity, 
will  grade  their  teaching,  make  it  suitable  to  age  and 
condition,  finding  the  point  of  contact  between  pupil 
and  Scripture,  and  matching  truth  to  mind  and  heart. 
These  are  the  teachers  who  are  masterful  and  kingly  in 
the  kingdom  of  spiritual  schooling.  Neither  teacher 
nor  pupil  is  conscious  of  the  outgo  of  spiritual  virtue 
in  teaching — the  one  giving  it  out,  the  other  feeling  its 
subtle  power.  The  mind  of  child  and  adult  alike  is 
susceptible,  and  yielding  readily  to  this  influence,  is 
made  ready  like  soil  for  the  coming  of  the  seed. 

How  it  Comes.  This  is  not  easily  told,  but  it  comes 
as  the  sunlight  of  the  morning  comes.  Lo,  it  is  here, 
and  there  is  life  and  light,  warmth  and  a  kindling  effect. 
Dr.  Edward  Everett  Hale,  when  telling  of  the  work- 
ing of  his  own  mind  in  an  experience  of  grace,  of  the 
call  he  received  from  Christ  to  service  under  the 
preaching  of  a  man  sent  of  God,  makes  the  remark, 
that  he  saw  the  change  coming,  saw  it  come  and  work 
other  changes  within  and  without,  but  that  he  did  not 
try  to  explain  at  the  time  or  afterward.  So  with 
every  one  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  regardless  of  age, 
of  social  condition,  or  of  culture  in  the  school.  Not 
even  one  skilled  in  mind  study  and  trained  in  the  ways 
of  learning  can  tell  the  coming  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
whether  like  the  evening  zephyr  among  the  flowers,  or 
like  the  storm  among  the  mighty  oaks  of  the  forest. 
And  what  of  it,  so  the  Spirit  comes,  bears  witness  with 
our  spirit,  works  his  work,  and  we  have  teachers  who 


88         THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

teach  in  the  spirit  and  power  which  he  gives  ?  That  is 
heavenly  kinship  in  the  service  of  the  King,  and  makes 
way  for  the  coming  of  God's  kingdom  in  the  hearts 
of  men. 

When  God  elected  in  the  Old  Testament  time  to 
make  of  Isaiah  a  flaming  prophet,  somewhat  like  John 
the  Baptist,  he  appeared  to  him  in  a  vision  of  over- 
powering splendor  as  he  waited  in  the  temple.  The 
man  in  the  glory  which  God's  presence  brings  was 
brought  face  to  face  with  himself,  with  the  sin  of  his 
heart,  with  himself  in  comparison  with  the  holiness  of 
Jehovah,  as  seen  in  the  splendor  of  the  throne  and 
heard  in  the  song  which  the  seraphim  sang.  Isaiah 
tells  of  it  himself,  as  he  saw  and  felt  it,  much  like  Saul 
of  Tarsus  in  later  times  of  the  New  Testament.  He 
locates  it  as  to  date  and  place,  tells  what  it  wrought 
for  him  in  his  inmost  soul,  how  it  brought  to  him  a 
new  life  from  on  high,  opened  to  him  a  new  work,  and 
sent  him  forth  with  a  mission  and  message  from  God. 
From  that  time  forward  he  went  as  a  man  sent  of  God, 
speaking  the  word  of  the  Lord  as  he  would  have  him 
speak.  Isaiah  is  counted  the  gospel  preacher  of  the 
Old  Testament  times,  and  centuries  before  his  advent 
preached  Christ  crucified  but  triumphant  in  coronation 
glory. 

"In  the  year  that  King  Uzziah  died,"  isi  the  way  the  prophet 
tells  of  his  vision,  "I  saw  the  Lord  sitting  upon  the  throne, 
high  and  lifted  up ;  and  his  train  filled  the  temple.  Above  him 
stood  the  seraphim ;  each  one  had  six  wings ;  with  twain  he 
covered  his  face,  and  with  twain  he  covered  his  feet  and  with 
twain  he  did  fly.    And  one  cried  unto  another  and  said :  Holy, 


TEACHER'S  VISION  OF  GOD.  89 

Holy,  Holy,  is  Jehovah  of  hosts ;  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his 
glory.  And  the  foundation  of  the  threshold  trembled  at  the 
voice  of  him  that  cried,  and  the  house  was  filled  with  smoke. 

"Then  said  I,  Woe  is  me!  For  I  am  undone,  because  I  sun 
a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the  midst  of  a  people  of 
unclean  lips;  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  the  King,  Jehovah  of 
hosts.  Then  flew  one  of  the  seraphim  having  a  live  coal  in 
his  hands,  which  he  had  taken  with  the  tongs  from  the  altar ; 
and  be  touched  my  mouth  with  it,  and  said,  Lo,  this  hath 
touched  thy  lips,  and  thine  iniquity  is  taken  away  and  thy  sin 
is  forgiven. 

"And  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  saying,  Whom  shall  I 
send,  and  who  will  go  for  us?  Then  I  said,  Here  am  I,  send 
me.     And  he  said.  Go,  and  tell  this  people." 

The  man  came  out  from  God  with  a  personal  touch, 
personal  experience,  personal  call,  having  dealt  with 
God  for  himself,  and  having  in  his  own  soul  the  im- 
primatur of  heaven.  Those  whom  God  sends  are 
bearers  of  his  message.  In  the  Old  Testament  it  was, 
Go  and  tell;  in  the  New  Testament  it  is,  Go,  preach, 
make  disciples,  baptizing  them,  teaching  them.  This 
is  the  commission  of  all  who  bear  the  message  of  grace 
and  tell  the  good  news  of  salvation. 

Prophets  and  Preachers.  As  the  derivation  of 
the  word  indicates,  prophets  are  those  who  speak  for 
or  in  behalf  of  others.  The  ancient  prophets  were  first 
speakers  for  God,  and  then  under  his  special  message 
and  power  became  tellers  of  future  events.  Holy  men 
of  old  spoke  for  God  as  they  were  moved  by  his  Holy 
Spirit,  and  they  came  speaking  the  word  of  God,  and 
the  word  which  he  bade  them  speak.  The  closing  of 
the  Old  Testament  witnessed  the  passing  of  the  proph- 
ets and  of  the  prophetic  office ;  the  opening  of  the  New 


90         THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Testament  witnessed  the  coming  of  the  preacher  and 
the  ministry  of  preaching.  The  one  told  of  a  Saviour 
to  come,  of  a  child  to  be  born,  of  a  Messiah  to  be  sent 
of  God,  while  the  other  came  telling  of  the  Messiah 
having  come  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  as  the  Son  of 
God,  full  of  grace  and  truth,  and  men  beheld  his  glory. 

The  message  had  changed  in  tense,  but  not  in  sub- 
stance ;  in  form,  but  not  in  meaning.  It  was  the  same, 
but  with  enlargement,  clearness  and  enrichment;  in 
the  same  spirit  with  the  same  great  and  glorious  end. 
God  had  changed  his  messengers,  but  not  his  message, 
except  in  its  great  reach  of  revealed  grace  and  saving 
power.  He  had  come  nearer  to  men  in  Christ  cruci- 
fied, but  risen  for  the  redemption  of  the  world.  The 
New  Testament  preacher  was  the  successor  of  the  Old 
Testament  prophet,  if  not  in  office  and  line  of  succes- 
sion, yet  by  the  passing  of  years  and  in  the  ministry  of 
the  word,  and  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of 
power. 

They  had  much  in  common.  Isaiah  and  Paul  for 
example — what  mighty  men  of  God  they  were,  a  flam- 
ing fire  each  of  them,  unconquerable  each  in  his  mis- 
sion and  in  meeting  the  issues  for  the  onward  going 
of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Separated  by  nearly  a  thou- 
sand years,  they  were  yet  of  kindred  mind,  spirit  and 
purpose.  Prophets  were  called  to  be  prophets  by  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  and  preachers  are  called  to  be  preach- 
ers by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  working  in  their  hearts 
the  special  work  of  the  ministry.  They  are  men  sent 
of  God — always  men  sent  of  God  if  they  are  real 
preachers  of  grace. 


TEACHER'S  VISION  OF  QOD.  91 

What  the  Vision  Meant.  This  is  the  signifi- 
cance of  Isaiah's  vision  in  the  temple.  Like  the  vision 
of  Saul  of  Tarsus  going  to  Damascus,  it  had  somewhat 
of  the  extraordinary  and  supernatural,  and  of  what 
was  peculiar  to  itself  and  its  times,  but  its  essential  and 
basal  elements  were  such  as  come  in  God's  dealing 
with  the  soul,  and  is  the  same  always  and  everywhere. 
What  the  prophet  saw  of  God,  what  he  heard  as  com- 
ing from  the  throne,  what  he  received  in  the  touch  of 
the  burning  coal  from  off  the  altar,  what  he  said  when 
offering  himself  in  life  and  service  in  answer  to  God's 
call — these  are  the  mighty  things  which  are  repeated 
in  human  hearts  whenever  moved  upon  by  the  power 
of  God's  Spirit.  And  this  it  is  which  makes  the  ex- 
perience of  grace,  and  opens  to  one  a  new  life  with  a 
new  mission  and  message. 

To  see  the  King  in  his  glory,  to  have  a  heart's  vision 
of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  has  never  lost  its  power.  It 
awakens  the  song  which  the  seraphim  sing,  creates 
that  sense  of  awe  in  the  presence  of  God's  holiness  and 
greatness  which  made  them  hide  the  face,  cover  the 
feet,  and  hold  themselves  ready  for  swiftness  of  mes- 
sage. To  see  God  in  nature,  to  see  God  in  the  wonders 
of  his  providence,  to  see  God  in  his  written  word  with 
its  pages  aflame  with  his  glory — all  this  is  great,  very 
great.  But  far  greater  is  it  to  see  God  in  the  heart 
with  such  vision  as  brings  a  sense  of  sin  with  its  con- 
fession, as  brings  the  sense  of  mercy  and  pardon,  with 
cleansing  fresh  from  God's  gracious  hand.  This  is 
something  different  and  deeper,  richer,  more  definite, 
more  powerful,  and  fixes  one  forever  in  the  service  of 


92  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

the  King.  This  is  what  makes  men  and  women  the 
children  of  God  for  his  care  and  the  servants  of  God 
for  his  service  and  honor. 

Preachers  and  Teachers.  This,  too,  is  the  first 
and  essential  qualification  in  making  preachers  and 
teachers,  and  the  one  basal  need  in  preaching  and 
teaching — the  one  chord  of  the  heart  from  which  there 
must  be  no  broken  or  discordant  note.  Those  whom 
God  has  touched,  in  whose  heart  he  has  wrought  his 
work  of  grace,  and  his  further  work  of  call  to  service, 
have  something  to  tell,  and  will  not  be  hushed  in  their 
song  or  story. 

There  is  manifestly  a  difference  between  preacher 
and  teacher,  between  preaching  and  teaching,  in  the 
New  Testament  usage  of  these  terms.  There  is  no 
hard  and  fast  line  between  them  which  can  be  easily 
marked  and  defined,  and  yet  there  is  a  difference.  God 
set  some  in  the  church  to  be  preachers,  and  some  to  be 
teachers ;  our  Lord  was  both  preacher  and  teacher,  for 
he  went  about  "teaching  in  the  synagogues,  and  preach- 
ing the  gospel  of  the  kingdom,"  and  he  sent  his  dis- 
ciples to  preach  the  gospel,  making  other  disciples,  and 
then  teaching  them.  Paul  wTas  sometimes  a  preacher 
and  preached,  sometimes  a  teacher  and  taught  the  word 
of  God. 

Equipment  of  Heart.  Differ  as  they  may  in 
some  things,  and  in  their  specific  training  for  specific 
work,  they  yet  have  the  common  need  of  spiritual  qual- 
ification through  their  personal  vision  of  God — in  the 
fullness  of  its  meaning  which  gives  enlargement,  equip- 
ment and  enrichment. 


TEACHER'S  VISION  OF  GOD.  93 

For  the  present  our  purpose  is  to  insist  upon  this 
as  the  heart  equipment  of  the  teacher  for  teaching-. 
Each  one  must  have  his  own  vision  of  God — the  teach- 
er's vision  of  God,  seeing  and  hearing,  calling  and 
answering  for  himself.  This  opens  the  way  for  rap- 
turous service  and  triumphant  efficiency.  There  can 
be  no  device  or  substitute  for  this.  The  man  who 
teaches  Greek  must  have  Greek.  All  the  Latin  or 
mathematics  would  not  answer  for  that  service.  The 
teacher  who  bears  the  message  of  grace  must  have 
grace  in  the  heart  as  his  own  blessed  experience.  He 
will  need  this  in  preparing  his  lesson  for  next  Sunday, 
and  when  making  that  larger  and  more  general  prepa- 
ration for  his  work,  and  when  he  comes  to  his  class 
in  teaching.  He  will  need  it  also  as  he  touches  the 
heart  and  mind  of  his  pupil,  as  he  speaks  for  God  and 
makes  known  his  message  of  grace.  This  spiritual 
qualification  as  the  basal  need  for  the  teacher,  must  be 
always  in  mind  as  a  thing  settled,  when  we  talk  of 
training  teachers.  If  we  are  to  make  marble  statuary 
and  monumental  shafts,  we  must  first  have  the  marble ; 
if  our  work  is  in  bronze,  we  must  first  have  the  bronze; 
if  in  clay,  we  must  first  have  the  clay;  if  in  gold  and 
diamond,  we  must  first  have  the  precious  metal  and 
the  more  precious  stone.  If  we  are  to  train  teachers 
and  fit  them  for  the  mighty  task  and  high  art  of  teach- 
ing God's  word  and  dealing  with  human  souls,  we 
must  have  those  who  for  themselves  have  seen  God  and 
been  taught  of  him. 

With  this  provided,  there  is  open  to  teachers,  whether 
in  his  training  or  teaching,  the  whole  wide  field  of 


94  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

learning  and  literature,  culture  and  schooling  in  the 
technique  of  the  teacher's  art.  This  surely  makes  all 
subsidiary  to  his  getting  and  giving  truth — making 
grace  the  adornment  of  culture,  and  culture  the  instru- 
ment of  grace  for  high  workmanship  in  the  kingdom. 
But  let  there  be  no  mistake  about  this  vital  matter,  and 
let  there  be  no  reversal  of  this  order.  Culture,  learn- 
ing and  training  are  of  immense  value,  and  nothing 
must  be  said  which  can  in  any  wise  be  a  disparagement 
of  their  merit  and  need ;  but  they  cannot  take  the  place 
of  heart  equipment  in  its  vision  of  God;  yet  they  may 
greatly  augment  the  efficiency  and  outworking  of  the 
spiritual  qualification.  We  cannot  make  the  soft  stone 
of  the  quarry  do  the  work  or  bear  the  workmanship  of 
marble  or  granite. 

It  is  imperative  and  vital  that  this  distinction  be 
maintained,  and  that  these  qualifications  spiritual  and 
cultivated,  all  of  which  are  of  value  and  useful  in  their 
order,  shall  be  kept  properly  adjusted  in  their  relation 
to  each  other,  and  to  the  teacher  in  his  being  trained 
and  in  his  teaching.  When  God's  work  has  gone  be- 
fore, then  the  best  of  training  may  follow,  and  should 
follow.  Not  that  God's  work  can  be  improved,  but 
that  we  may  the  better  use  the  energies  created  within 
by  his  grace,  and  the  better  fulfill  the  mission  to  which 
he  sends  us. 

The  Mission  and  the  Message.  This  is  the  out- 
come of  the  vision,  and  sets  an  open  door  for  the 
teacher  who  has  seen  God  and  heard  his  gracious  word, 
even  as  it  did  for  the  prophet  or  as  it  does  now  for  the 
preacher.     Such  experience  and  equipment  for  one's 


TEACHER'S  VISION  OF  OOD.  95 

mission  and  message  is  never  out  of  time,  but  rather 
like  God,  its  gracious  author,  is  without  date.  Who  zvill 
go  for  us?  is  ever  the  call  coming  out  from  God,  and 
may  be  heard  everywhere  by  men  and  women.  Here 
am  I,  send  me;  is  the  answer  ever  given  back  by  those 
who  have  seen  the  King  in  his  glory,  experienced  his 
grace,  and  heard  his  call  for  service.  What  can  I  do 
for  God?  is  the  most  momentous,  masterful  and  tri- 
umphant question  that  can  rise  in  the  human  heart. 

This  was  the  purpose  of  touching  the  prophet's  lips 
with  a  living  coal  of  fire  from  off  the  altar,  and  the 
cleansing  of  the  lips  and  life.  He  never  let  the  fire  go 
out  in  his  heart,  but  with  that  fire  burning  like  a  flame 
on  his  lips,  he  made  men  everywhere  feel  that  he  had 
been  with  God,  learned  of  him,  had  been  sent  on  his 
mission  and  with  his  message.  The  man  sent  of  God, 
whether  in  the  office  as  prophet,  or  the  ministry  of 
preaching,  or  as  teacher,  bears  in  himself  withr-it  an- 
nouncement, the  insignia  of  his  mission  and  the  badge 
of  his  commission.  For  the  man  speaking  from  God, 
and  in  the  power  of  his  Spirit,  is  one  whom  the  people 
hear  and  acknowledge,  though  they  do  not  always  heed 
his  message. 

The  sum  and  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter  is  this, 
if  we  are  to  do  anything  for  God,  then  first  of  all  God 
must  do  something  with  us,  and  we  with  him.  To 
have  seen  God  in  the  temple  is  to  find  the  way  and 
walk  of  life.  This  is  the  fundamental  need  and  mighti- 
est factor  in  all  Sunday  school  teaching,  and  lifts  it  to 
a  plane  of  highest  worth  and  commanding  character. 
A  vision  of  God  for  the  teacher  will  mean  a  vision  of 


96  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

God  for  the  school  with  the  incoming  of  his  Spirit. 
Instruments  in  his  hand  are  always  instruments  of 
might  and  efficiency. 

The  products  of  the  school  in  the  church  of  God  are 
the  products  of  the  teacher,  and  its  fruitage  is  the 
fruitage  which  comes  from  his  labor.  The  teacher  sent 
from  God  on  his  mission  and  with  his  message,  will 
produce  after  his  kind  and  possibly  beyond  what  he 
himself  is.  Out  of  his  class  will  come  preachers,  mis- 
sionaries, and  other  teachers,  who  will  gladden  and 
make  golden  the  coming  years.  To  have  seen  God  in 
the  temple  is  to  throw  a  vision  of  glory  over  class  work 
and  school  work,  with  new  meaning  and  movement  in 
our  efforts  for  the  King  and  his  kingdom. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  PASTOR  AND  HIS  COLLEGE  OF  TEACHERS. 

TEACHERS,  Present  and  Prospective.  The 
pastor  and  the  pastor's  office  are  of  high  rank; 
the  office  is  of  God,  the  man  is  the  Lord's  anointed. 
There  is  something  momentous  and  august  in  having 
care  of  the  church  of  Christ.  The  pastorate  is  the  first 
position  in  the  church,  an  essential  part  in  its  organic 
life  and  equipment  for  fulfilling  its  mission.  It  may 
be  thought  of  as  obligation  or  opportunity;  the  obli- 
gation may  bring  a  sense  of  burden  and  anxiety,  but 
the  opportunity,  like  an  open  door  from  the  Lord,  will 
give  outlook  and  awaken  music  in  the  heart.  Thinking 
of  its  responsibility  one  feels,  "Who  is  sufficient  ?" 
Contemplating  the  open  door  gives  the  feeling  of  sub- 
dued joy:  "I  thank  Christ  Jesus,  my  Lord,  that  he 
hath  enabled  me,  and  counted  me  faithful,  putting  me 
into  the  ministry." 

The  pastor's  Sunday  school  is  a  strategic  place  for 
efficiency  in  his  church  work,  and  the  teacher  is  his 
strategic  point  in  the  school  for  making  it  effective  in 
all  departments,  and  for  carrying  its  power  into  all 
other  lines  of  his  work.  This  is  true  of  the  teachers 
already  engaged  in  teaching,  and  those  to  be  enlisted 
in  future  service,  all  of  whom  the  pastor  may  have 
in  training  as  his  college  of  teachers,  for  present  and 
7  97 


98  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

prospective  service.  Leadership  with  the  teachers  for 
their  instruction  and  imbuement  with  the  Master's 
spirit,  for  directing  their  efforts  along  right  lines  and 
well-chosen  methods,  is  to  have  the  leadership  of  the 
Sunday  school  forces  in  his  church — a  very  crown  of 
glory  to  the  pastor.  He  and  they  alike  are  set  for 
magnifying  the  word  of  the  Lord,  for  augmenting  and 
multiplying  the  forces  which  make  for  his  kingdom. 

Old  Testament  Emphasis  and  Illustration. 
The  teaching  of  God's  word  was  a  mighty  factor  in 
Hebrew  history.  Speaking  to  the  people  as  God's 
chosen  messenger,  and  as  one  especially  inspired  for 
the  service, 

"Moses  wrote  this  law,  and  delivered  unto  the  priests,  the 
eons  of  Levi  which  bore  the  ark,  the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  and 
unto  all  Israel.  And  Moses  commanded  them,  saying  at  the  end 
of  every  seven  years  in  solemnity  of  the  year  of  release,  in  the 
least  of  Tabernacles,  when  all  Israel  is  come  to  appear  before 
the  Lord,  thy  God,  in  the  place  which  ye  shall  choose,  thou 
shalt  read  this  law  before  all  Israel  in  their  hearing. 

"Gather  the  people  together,  men,  women,  and  children,  and 
thy  stranger  that  is  within  thy  gates,  that  they  may  hear,  and 
that  they  may  learn,  and  fear  the  Lord  your  God  and  observe 
to  do  all  this  law ;  and  that  their  children  which  have  not 
known  anything,  may  hear  and  learn  to  fear  the  Lord  your 
God."     (Deut.  31:  9-13.) 

This  was  special  instruction  in  addition  to  regular 
and  more  frequent  instruction  out  of  God's  word  for 
making  a  God-fearing  people.  A  God-fearing  people 
is  the  life,  strength  and  prosperity  of  any  nation. 
Centuries  later  when  Israel,  having  departed  from  the 
law  and  worship  of  God,  and  as  a  result  having  been 
carried  away  into  captivity,  were  brought  back  to  their 


THE  PASTOR  WITH  HIS  TEACHERS.  99 

homeland  laid   waste  and   desolate,  that  people  were 
called  again  to  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord. 

"And  all  the  people  gathered  themselves  together  as  one 
man  in  the  streets  before  the  water-gate,  and  they  spake  unto 
Ezra  the  scribe  to  bring  the  book  of  the  law  of  Moses,  which 
the  Lord  had  commanded  to  Israel ;  and  Ezra  the  scribe 
brought  the  law  before  the  congregation  both  of  men  and 
women  and  all  that  could  hear  with  understanding  upon  the 
first  of  the  seventh  month.  And  he  read  therein  from  morning 
unto  midday.  .  .  .  And  the  ears  of  all  the  people  were  at- 
tentive unto  the  book  of  the  law. 

"And  Ezra  opened  the  book  in  the  sight  of  all  the  people; 
.  .  .  and  when  he  opened  it  all  the  people  stood  up;  and 
Ezra  blessed  the  Lord,  the  great  God.  And  all  the  people 
answered,  Amen,  Amen,  with  lifting  up  of  their  hands ;  and 
they  bowed  their  heads,  and  worshipped  the  Lord  with  their 
faces  to  the  ground.  ...  So  they  read  in  the  book,  in  the 
law  of  God  distinctly,  and  gave  the  sense,  and  caused  them  to 
understand  the  reading."     (Neh.  8:  1-8.) 


So  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  the  one  powerful  in- 
strument in  God's  hands,  whether  in  making  and 
molding  a  people  into  a  nation  as  at  the  first,  or  in 
rallying  and  restoring  them  to  their  lost  prestige  in 
national  life  and  glory.  As  it  was  in  the  days  of  old 
with  the  Hebrew  people,  so  it  is  now  in  the  life  of  any 
people.  No  factor  contributes  so  effectually  to  mak- 
ing a  God-fearing  people  as  the  faithful  teaching  of 
his  word.  In  the  church  the  pastor  is  the  leader  in 
teaching  and  a  consequent  blessing  of  wonderful  rich- 
ness in  a  nation's  life. 

The  Pastor  a  New  Testament  Creation.  The 
church  with  its  pastor  or  bishop,  is  of  the  new  dispen- 
sation, came  as  the  product  of  the  coming  of  Christ, 


100        THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

and  is  of  his  appointment.  It  was  the  organized  em- 
bodiment and  expression  of  his  purpose  to  save  the 
world — the  church  at  Jerusalem  being  the  first  church, 
and  its  pastor,  the  brother  of  our  Lord,  being  the  first 
pastor. 

An  English  writer,  treating  recently  of  a  great  and 
vital  subject,  said:  "We  have  found  Christ  nobly  care- 
less of  Church  organization."  But  that  cannot  be  true; 
the  statement  contravenes  everything  we  know  of  our 
Lord  as  presented  in  the  New  Testament.  His  living 
was  like  a  consuming  fire  in  zeal  and  earnestness.  He 
was  not  careless  in  anything,  but  lived  and  wrought 
and  died  in  making  his  church.  There  was  no  ado 
about  it  in  mere  words,  but  through  his  teaching  and 
training,  with  great  care  and  diligence  he  made  what 
he  wanted,  set  it  as  the  organic  expression  of  his  king- 
dom, as  the  center  and  custodian  of  his  interest  among 
men. 

He  gathered  to  himself  a  little  group  as  his  inner 
circle,  choosing  and  calling  them  one  at  a  time;  spent 
three  years  with  them  prior  to  his  death,  and  forty 
days  following  the  resurrection  with  even  greater  con- 
centration of  training,  drilling,  teaching  them  the 
things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom.  All  the  while  he 
was  moving  toward  the  one  end  of  molding  the  several 
into  one — to  have  something,  call  it  what  you  may, 
whether  body  or  church  or  organization,  but  something 
in  which  several  persons  are  molded  into  one — made 
ready  for  the  day  of  Pentecost  and  the  coming  of  the 
Spirit  as  the  induement  with  power  from  on  high. 

This  something  of  organic  form  and  life  had  in  it 


THE  PASTOR  "iYITH  HIS  TEACHERS.  101 

the  thought  of  our  Lord,  his  wisdom,  his  teaching  and 
training,  his  life  and  heart.  And  this  something 
emerged  as  the  church  with  new  equipment  and  en- 
largement of  vision,  in  the  enthusiasm  of  a  new  zeal 
and  purpose,  endowed  with  reproductive  power  which 
at  once  began  reproducing  other  churches  after  its 
kind.  In  all  this  where  our  Lord  was  at  work  there 
was  no  trace  of  his  being  "nobly  careless,"  but  rather 
everywhere  earnest  and  using  the  most  diligent  care 
as  to  the  agency  for  making  the  kingdom  of  God.  This 
same  English  writer  himself,  as  if  catching  somewhat 
of  the  truer  vision,  and  noting  the  working  and  wreck- 
age of  history,  makes  the  ringing  statement :  "By  the 
uprise  of  denominations  God  has  needed  repeatedly  to 
protest  the  supremacy  of  the  Scriptures,  the  Lordship 
of  Jesus,  the  empire  of  conscience,  and  the  sanctity  of 
the  single  or  local  church." 

"The  Sanctity  of  the  Single  Church."  This 
was  Christ's  organization,  the  embodiment  of  his 
thought,  the  expressed  channel  for  the  output  of  his 
energy.  It  had  the  minimum  of  machinery,  the  maxi- 
mum of  possible  efficiency  and  power.  There  was  no 
carelessness  in  its  making,  and  he  with  diligent  care, 
and  by  his  own  chosen  means  through  the  ages  to  this 
good  day,  has  preserved  its  rank  and  maintained  its 
original  purpose,  and  still  holds  it  for  the  fulfillment 
of  its  mission.  Through  the  intervening  centuries,  as 
this  writer  intimates,  there  have  been  corruptions  in 
church  form  and  organization,  in  doctrine  and  ordi- 
nance, in  its  purpose  of  administration,  and  yet  the 
church  is  still  here,  as  the  family  is  still  here  being  of 


102  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

divine  origin  and  preservation  from  Eden  until  now. 
The  "sanctity  of  the  single  church"  remains,  more  or 
less  marred  perhaps,  but  still  here,  and  declaring  for 
"the  supremacy  of  the  Scriptures,  the  empire  of  con- 
science, and  the  Lordship  of  Jesus." 

The  pastor  also  is  still  here,  the  chosen  and  appointed 
instrument  of  Christ  for  preaching  and  teaching  his 
word,  and  otherwise  administering  the  affairs  of  the 
church  for  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel  of  the  king- 
dom. There  is  urgent  need  to  get  this  view  afresh  of 
the  man  and  his  office,  to  recognize  and  emphasize  his 
vital  worth  in  the  organic  life  of  the  church  in  his  three- 
fold ministry  as  preacher,  evangelist  and  teacher  of  the 
things  of  the  kingdom.  The  prophet  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment has  his  duplicate,  not  only  in  the  preacher  of  the 
New  Testament,  but  also  in  the  pastor  of  the  church 
as  a  man  chosen  and  called  of  God,  and  commissioned 
to  high  office  in  his  service  among  men.  But  there  is 
more  defmiteness  and  compactness  of  organization, 
with  enlargement  and  concentration  of  effort  in  what 
is  committed  to  the  pastor's  care. 

The  Pastor  as  Teacher.  His  office  is  many 
sided,  his  ministry  manifold.  In  magnifying  the 
pastor's  office  and  function  of  teaching,  there  is  no 
intention  to  abridge  either  the  privilege  or  obligation 
of  members  in  the  church,  through  whose  choice  he 
comes  to  his  high  office.  These  are  forces  that  work  in 
oneness  in  bringing  things  to  pass.  The  pastor  is 
among  them  as  one  who  serves,  ministering  unto  them 
out  of  God's  word,  an  example  in  character  and  every 
good  work,  adorning  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour. 


THE  PASTOR  WITH  niS  TEACHERS.  103 

The  layman  indeed  finds  in  the  Sunday  school  of 
today  his  own  large  opportunity  with  the  pastor  as 
leader  and  helper.  Here  he  finds  the  means  of  cul- 
ture in  Christian  character,  and  training  for  service  in 
the  cause  of  Christ — the  means  of  church  culture,  with 
large  possibilities  for  using  the  best  that  he  has,  and 
many  avenues  for  showing  his  own  membership  worth 
while  for  himself  and  others,  for  God  and  the  com- 
munity. The  achievements  of  the  pastor  come  through 
the  co-operation  of  his  laymen;  while  back  of  every 
great  laymen,  and  the  things  which  are  done  by  him, 
is  the  work  of  some  faithful  man  of  God  as  pastor  or 
preacher. 

Something  like  this  was  said  in  an  address  before 
an  audience  which  crowded  to  the  utmost  a  large  audi- 
torium. The  speaker  by  way  of  illustration  mentioned 
by  name  one  of  the  great  merchants  of  the  world,  who 
is  devout,  earnest  and  active  in  the  service  of  God,  and 
ventured  the  remark  almost  as  a  guess,  that  no  doubt 
this  man  somewhere  in  the  past  came  under  the  touch 
of  a  pastor.  At  the  close  of  the  address  a  man  of 
modest  way  rose  in  the  audience,  and  told  in  simple 
fashion,  but  so  as  to  greatly  move  the  vast  throng, 
how  years  before  as  pastor  of  a  little  country  or  village 
church,  he  himself  had  led  this  merchant  when  a 
young  man  to  the  Saviour,  and  had  baptized  him  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord. 

Another  case  is  recalled.  A  magnificent  school 
building  for  young  ladies  was  completely  destroyed  by 
fire.  A  man  of  large  wealth  came  to  the  rescue,  housed 
and  cared  for  the  school,  and  then  gave  his  services 


104  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

and  large  sums  of  money  for  rebuilding.  It  was  an 
act  of  signal  and  conspicuous  achievement,  and  his 
praises  went  abroad.  But  this  man  years  before  as  a 
very  poor  boy  in  his  shirt-sleeves  was  received  by  the 
pastor  with  others  as  church  members,  but  no  one 
dreamed  of  the  coming  man  or  of  the  mighty  work 
being  done  by  the  pastor  for  coming  years.  The  great 
admiral  who  commanded  the  American  fleet  at  Manila, 
afterward  commended  the  captains  of  his  several  men- 
of-war  as  being  the  chieftains  in  that  wonderful  naval 
victory.  But  all  the  world  crowned  with  honor  and 
distinction  the  great  admiral  himself  who  commanded 
the  mighty  ships  and  directed  their  movements  in  the 
manoeuvres  of  battle. 

The  New  Testament  View.  The  achievements 
in  a  church  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  for  blessing 
the  world,  come  through  pastor  and  people  working 
together — planting  and  watering,  and  God  giving  the 
increase.  The  pastor's  work  is  not  confined  to  teach- 
ing, however  important  and  exalted  that  may  be,  nor 
his  teaching  to  the  Sunday  school  or  his  College  of 
Teachers.  The  New  Testament  emphasizes  his  office 
and  function  of  both  preaching  and  teaching.  His 
Lord  before  him  as  the  Bishop  of  our  souls,  and,  as 
already  shown,  was  both  preacher  and  teacher,  the  one 
supplementing  the  other.  Paul  said  of  himself :  "I  am 
ordained  a  preacher,  and  an  apostle,  and  a  teacher.', 
"God  hath  manifested  his  word  through  preaching 
which  he  hath  committed  unto  me,  according  to  the 
commandments  of  God  our  Saviour."     "I   magnify 


THE  PASTOR  WITH  HIS  TEACHERS.  105 

mine  office."  "Our  sufficiency  is  of  God,  who  hath 
made  us  able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament." 

We  have  never  accorded  to  teaching  as  a  pastoral 
function  the  high  rank  which  it  has  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  this  has  been  a  point  of  weakness  in  church 
life  and  efficiency.  It  can  be  no  rival  or  substitute  for 
preaching,  as  bread  and  water  have  no  conflict  in  feed- 
ing the  body.  They  are  supplemental,  working  each 
in  its  own  way,  and  co-operating  to  one  great  end. 
The  fear  is  sometimes  expressed  that  the  pulpit  will 
lose  its  power  and  preaching  its  place.  But  never,  so 
long  as  human  hearts  are  human  hearts,  sin  is  sin,  and 
sorrow  is  sorrow ;  never,  so  long  as  God's  invitation  of 
mercy  and  grace  remains,  and  there  is  a  genuine 
preacher  of  a  genuine  gospel.  The  pulpit  has  its  own 
peculiar  power,  and  nothing  under  God's  stars  can 
take  its  place. 

A  New  Emphasis  on  Teaching.  This  school  of 
the  church  is  the  pastor's  school,  gives  new  meaning 
and  opportunity  in  his  ministry  and  places  new  em- 
phasis upon  teaching  as  a  function  of  his  office.  This 
is  going  back  to  the  Book,  assigns  to  teaching  the  rank 
which  it  had  at  the  first,  is  a  return  to  Christ's  method 
and  appointment.  The  pastor,  as  the  man  of  God 
called  into  the  ministry,  has  the  "care  of  the  church  of 
God."  As  bishop  he  must  be  "apt  to  teach,"  is  ad- 
monished to  show  "himself  a  good  minister  of  Jesus 
Christ,"  and  "to  make  full  proof  of  his  ministry."  As 
preacher,  he  preaches  the  gospel ;  as  teacher,  he  teaches 
the  doctrine — "sound  doctrine,  according  to  the  gospel 
of  the  glory  of  the  blessed  God." 


106  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

The  apostle  therefore,  when  writing  to  Timothy, 
bishop  of  the  church  at  Ephesus,  and  Titus,  bishop  of 
the  church  at  Crete,  puts  emphasis  with  much  earnest- 
ness upon  the  personal  character  and  manner  of  life, 
upon  their  preaching  and  teaching,  and  upon  doctrine 
which  is  the  substance  of  teaching.  His  words  are 
burning  words,  and  to  this  day  are  incandescent  with 
the  glow  of  his  heart:  "Give  heed  to  reading,  to  ex- 
hortation, to  teaching."  "In  doctrine  showing  uncor- 
ruptness,  gravity,  sincerity."  "Doctrine  according  to 
godliness."  "The  same  commit  thou  unto  faithful 
men,  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others  also."  "Give 
diligence  to  show  thyself  approved  unto  God,  a  work- 
man not  to  be  shamed,  handling  aright  the  word  of 
truth."  "These  things  command  and  teach."  "O 
Timothy,  guard  that  which  is  committed  to  thy  trust." 

Every  injunction  on  the  pastor  to  teach  is  an  in- 
junction bearing  the  heavenly  imprint,  to  teach  the 
word  of  God.  He  may  have  all  learning  at  his  com- 
mand, all  literature,  all  nature  and  art,  for  illustration 
and  improvement,  but  nothing  to  supercede  or  en- 
croach on  the  Scriptures  as  the  subject  of  his  preach- 
ing and  teaching.  This  greatest  preacher  of  the  cross 
the  world  ever  saw,  while  admonishing  two  young 
pastors  of  his  times,  gave  in  himself  without  boasting  a 
commanding  example  for  all  pastors,  who  would  make 
full  proof  of  their  ministry  and  show  themselves  able 
ministers  of  the  New  Testament. 

For  in  the  church  of  God  at  Corinth,  Paul  spent  "a 
year  and  six  months  teaching  the  word  of  God  among 
them."     Likewise  in  the  church  at  Ephesus,  as  he  re- 


TEE  PASTOR  WITE  EIS  TEACEERS.  107 

cities  to  the  elders  who  came  down  to  meet  him  at 
Miletus :  "By  the  space  of  three  years  I  ceased  not  to 
warn  every  one  night  and  day  with  tears."  "Among 
whom  I  have  gone  preaching  the  kingdom  of  God." 
"And  have  taught  publicly,  and  from  house  to  house., 
testifying  both  to  the  Jews,  and  also  to  the  Greeks, 
repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  that  I  might  finish  my  course  with  joy, 
and  the  ministry,  which  I  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
to  testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God." 

Teaching  Those  Who  Teach.  That  is  what 
Paul  did,  multiplying  himself  in  others  as  a  wise 
master  builder;  that  is  what  our  Lord  himself  did  in 
the  Apostolic  College  as  his  inner  circle,  teaching  them 
his  doctrine  and  giving  them  his  message,  that  they 
might  teach  others,  sending  them  forth  to  preach  and 
teach  the  gospel  of  his  kingdom,  as  he  himself  was  do- 
ing. So  the  pastor  may  do  in  his  church,  and  with  his 
College  of  Teachers,  multiply  himself  in  them,  and 
augment  his  force  and  reaching  power  as  teacher  of 
the  things  concerning  the  kingdom.  The  pastor,  as 
the  man  of  God,  "has  his  throne  in  the  hearts  of  his 
people,"  said  a  successful  pastor  of  a  great  church,  but 
in  the  pulpit  for  preaching  is  where  he  reigns,  and  in 
his  College  of  Teachers  for  teaching  he  finds  his  place 
of  dominion,  and  through  them  in  the  open  school  and 
throughout  the  community. 

The  first  man  in  all  the  work  of  his  Sunday  school, 
the  pastor  has  his  empire  in  the  service  of  teaching  his 
teachers.  This  service  is  rendered  in  the  help  which 
he  gives  for  next  Sunday's  lesson,  and  in  that  larger 


108  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

preparation  and  more  general  training  for  mastership 
in  the  teacher's  art.  These  two  things  are  accom- 
plished in  the  weekly  Teachers'  Meeting  and  the  special 
Teachers'  Class  as  agencies  for  the  pastor  in  teaching 
those  who  teach.  This  opens  opportunities  which  can 
hardly  be  estimated. 

In  the  one  the  pastor  is  laying  foundations  of  general 
training  in  doctrine,  in  Bible  study,  in  method  of  teach- 
ing, in  study  of  the  human  mind  and  heart,  making 
skilled  workmen  who  will  be  his  joy  and  crown  of  re- 
joicing. In  the  other  the  pastor  is  dealing  with  the 
lesson  for  next  Sunday,  projecting  himself  into  the 
school  by  means  of  his  teaching  the  teachers,  and 
through  them  into  the  community,  multiplying  and 
augmenting  his  power  for  good  beyond  what  we  can 
know.  He  gets  and  gives  the  teachers  their  message 
out  of  God's  word;  they  are  getting  ready  in  this 
Teachers'  Meeting  to  come  heart  to  heart  with  the 
class  when  the  school  next  assembles.  When  Sunday 
morning  comes,  and  the  service  is  ended,  the  classes 
and  pupils  go  away  with  the  pastor's  message,  and 
carry  the  pastor's  message  into  the  home  and  out  into 
the  community. 

Where  He  is  the  Pastor.  This  is  the  place  of 
the  pastor's  power,  and  calls  for  the  investment  of  all 
the  labor  and  resources  at  his  command.  This  outlay 
of  time  and  labor  will  amply  repay  in  the  enlistment, 
the  enlightenment,  the  enlargement  which  it  brings 
into  the  church  over  which  the  Holy  Spirit  has  made 
him  overseer.  Here  he  makes  full  proof  of  his  min- 
istry, to   the  honor  and   glory  of  his  Master.      His 


THE  PASTOR  WITH  HIS  TEACHERS.  109 

church,  as  a  Held,  will  be  white  unto  the  harvest,  ready 
for  the  reaper's  sickle ;  as  a  force,  it  will  be  mighty  for 
God  and  for  doing  things  in  the  kingdom;  as  a  field, 
it  will  have  always  the  joyous  music  of  those  who 
harvest  the  golden  grain;  as  a  force,  it  will  have  the 
shout  of  triumph  like  the  victor's  song;  as  a  field,  this 
pastor  and  his  church  will  come  rejoicing,  bringing  in 
the  sheaves ;  as  a  force,  they  will  come  as  the  conquer- 
ing army  comes  with  trophies  for  the  King  and  new 
conquests  for  his  crown. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  TEACHER  AS  GOD'S  INTERPRETER. 

THE  Process  of  Teaching.  We  come  now  to 
the  teacher's  task  of  teaching.  In  the  process 
there  are  three  elements — the  teacher,  the  pupil  and 
somewhat  to  teach.  The  teacher  may  teach  books  or 
boys — if  boys,  then  he  must  have  somewhat  to  teach ; 
if  books,  then  he  must  have  some  one  to  listen  and 
learn.  The  teacher  has  two  related  questions — what 
to  do  with  his  pupil,  and  what  with  his  subject.  One 
question  relates  to  class  formation  and  management, 
the  other  to  the  process  of  teaching.  To  match  the 
one  to  the  other  in  a  way  to  be  effective  and  have  the 
scholar  learn,  the  teaching  must  be  adapted  to  the  pupil, 
and  the  teacher  must  all  the  while  keep  in  view  his 
purpose  and  aim. 

The  synonyms  of  teaching  are  significant :  "To  give 
instruction,  inform,  inculcate,  tell,  guide,  counsel,  ad- 
monish." In  every  case  there  is  teacher,  subject,  and 
scholar,  but  what  is  the  teaching  process  ?  In  the  last 
analysis  the  teacher  is  interpreter,  and  teaching  is  in- 
terpretation. This  is  true  of  all  teaching,  concerning 
all  subjects  and  in  every  school.  The  process  is  begun 
in  simple  form  with  teaching  the  alphabet  in  the  secular 
school  or  the  illustrative  work  of  the  kindergarten,  is 
followed  on  through  the  higher  grades,  through  college 

110 


AS  QOD'S  INTERPRETER.  HI 

and  university,  and  on  beyond  the  schools  with  all  sub- 
jects, and  in  every  department  of  learning  where  teach- 
ing is  done.  The  teacher  throughout  interprets,  con- 
nects heart  with  heart,  spirit  with  spirit  in  the  process 
of  thinking,  and  in  the  deeper  process  of  feeling,  trans- 
fers thought  from  mind  to  mind,  while  the  teacher 
teaches  and  the  scholar  learns. 

Something  like  this  is  the  process,  wherever  teach- 
ing is  done,  and  points  out  the  teacher's  task,  whatever 
be  his  subject  or  his  school.  The  teacher  stands  before 
his  class  to  say  concerning  any  subject,  which  being 
interpreted  means.  This  applies  with  special  emphasis 
in  the  Sunday  school,  and  requires  mastership  in  teach- 
ing for  this  church  service  where  the  word  of  God  is" 
the  subject  for  study  and  interpretation.  The  Sunday 
school  teacher  is  God's  interpreter  among  men,  makes 
him  known  out  of  his  word,  points  out  his  will  and 
way,  in  high  sense  speaks  for  him.  There  must  be 
earnest  purpose  and  aim  to  interpret  aright  the  mighty 
themes  which  engage  his  attention — to  tell  what  they 
mean  as  the  doctrines  of  God,  and  apply  them  to  those 
who  hear.  The  teacher  is  a  bearer  of  God's  thought 
in  God's  word. 

Christ  Our  Model  Interpreter.  He  was  the 
incomparable  teacher,  because  he  was  the  world's  great- 
est interpreter.  He  really  taught;  his  teaching  was 
teaching,  the  lodgment  in  heart  and  mind  of  the 
mighty  things  which  he  communicated  to  men.  YVe 
need  a  new  vision  of  him  as  teacher.  Of  course  he  was 
more  than  teacher — God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  the  Sa- 
viour of  sinners  by  his  death  on  the  cross.    But  he  was 


112  TEE  8CE00L  OF  TEE  CEURCE. 

also  teacher,  and  these  higher  qualities  gave  emphasis 
to  his  teaching  and  exalted  his  office  and  function  as 
teacher.  No  man  ever  taught  as  he  taught,  simply  be- 
cause no  man  interpreted  as  he  interpreted.  With  his 
word  he  touched  human  hearts,  and  they  lay  open  to 
the  sunlight ;  he  touched  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  they  became  simple,  beautiful,  fragrant 
like  flowers  of  the  garden. 

He  taught  his  disciples,  taught  the  multitudes,  taught 
them  out  of  the  Scriptures,  taught  them  the  things  of 
the  kingdom.  Under  his  touch  old  things  were  set  in 
new  relations,  and  took  on  new  meaning,  while  new 
things  came  at  his  call  to  enlarge  the  world's  vision 
and  make  glad  the  hearts  of  men.  In  his  parables  na- 
ture and  custom  and  commonest  affairs  did  his  bidding, 
to  convey  the  mightiest  truth  to  the  people  so  as  to 
have  the  people  understand  his  meaning.  In  growing 
trees  he  made  his  disciples  see  his  kingdom  expanding 
and  coming  to  fullness.  In  the  golden  harvest  fields 
he  made  them  see  the  world's  need  and  hear  the  call 
for  more  laborers. 

His  ever  recurring  word,  "the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  like  unto,"  was  the  signal  for  coming  wonders,  and 
his  resemblances  are  fresh  and  powerful  unto  this  day. 
Our  Lord  made  nature  vocal  in  explaining  the  mys- 
teries of  the  kingdom.  With  his  touch  of  interpreta- 
tion, the  falling  sparrow  took  on  new  meaning  and 
made  luminous  the  great  doctrine  of  divine  care  and 
providence.  The  lily  of  the  valley,  too,  heard  his  word, 
and  opened  the  morning  song  with  fresh  notes  to  de- 


AS  QOD'R  INTERPRETER.  113 

clare  the  glory  of  his  kingdom  and  the  greater  glory 
of  the  King. 

The  Interpretation  of  Transcendant  Themes. 
We  need  to  renew  our  study  of  Christ  as  teacher,  the 
model  interpreter,  not  only  as  to  method,  but  also  as 
to  substance  and  purpose  of  his  teaching.  We  must 
have  his  vision  and  viewpoint,  see  things  as  he  saw 
them  in  their  proper  relation,  and  maintain  his  point 
of  emphasis  and  his  vital  word  of  authority.  We  need 
to  follow  him  in  teaching  as  well  as  to  obey  him  in 
keeping  his  commandments.  Even  though  we  look  on 
him  as  incomparable  and  unapproachable,  we  can  yet 
follow  after  him  in  method  and  substance  of  teaching. 
Having  his  word  for  our  word,  his  eyes  for  our  eyes, 
we  may  see  as  he  saw  and  interpret  as  he  interpreted — 
speak  his  word  after  him,  and  the  word  which  he  bids 
us  speak. 

The  subjects  which  engaged  our  Saviour's  attention 
were  of  infinite  moment  to  men  in  every  age  of  the 
world's  history,  and  concern  them  both  for  the  life  that 
now  is  and  the  life  which  reaches  beyond  the  stars.  In 
his  person,  life  and  teaching,  he  interpreted  God  and 
God's  word;  interpreted  Satan  as  a  dark  shadow  on 
his  path,  a  person  with  purpose  and  ever  driving  effort 
to  thwart  the  things  of  the  kingdom,  and  as  set  for  the 
ruin  of  the  souls  of  men;  interpreted  sin  with  its 
deadly  effect  in  human  hearts,  with  its  blighting  and 
ruinous  power  wherever  it  touches ;  interpreted  men  to 
themselves,  in  their  relation  to  each  other,  in  their 
higher  relation  to  God,  how  they  should  conduct  them- 
selves in  this  life,  and  what  they  should  do  for  his 

8 


114  TEE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CEURCB. 

kingdom;  interpreted  human  destiny  as  wrought  out 
here,  but  finding  its  fruitage  hereafter,  when  the  King 
shall  come  in  his  glory  with  the  holy  angels  to  judge 
the  world,  and  men  shall  be  separated,  some  to  ever- 
lasting life  and  some  to  everlasting  punishment. 

He  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  in  the 
gospel,  and  by  his  resurrection  from  the  dead  opened 
a  highway  through  the  grave  and  demonstrated  that 
he  was  the  Son  of  God  with  power.  His  word  is  the 
authoritative  word  on  these  great  subjects,  and  all  re- 
lated subjects.  Our  Lord  had  his  audience  now  with 
many,  and  again  with  only  one;  sometimes  with  his 
select  few,  and  again  with  the  multitude,  who  gathered 
to  hear  his  message  or  for  the  loaves  and  fishes.  He 
taught  them  all  whether  one  or  many,  the  things  con- 
cerning the  kingdom,  and  adapted  his  teaching  to  his 
hearer  and  with  heart-searching  fitness — probing  deep 
or  touching  with  a  gentleness  and  tenderness  which 
would  not  break  the  bruised  reed  or  quench  the  smok- 
ing flax. 

He  opened  the  book,  "found  the  place  where  it  was 
written,''  and  taught  the  people  as  one  having  author- 
ity. Their  eyes  were  fastened  on  him,  their  hearts 
were  moved  under  the  power  of  his  teaching,  and  they 
wondered  at  the  gracious  words  which  proceeded  out 
of  his  mouth. 

The  Sunday  School  Teacher's  Audience. 
What  to  do  with  his  subject  is  the  teacher's  most  ur- 
gent question,  but  that  cannot  be  determined  apart 
from  the  pupil  or  scholar,  whether  many  or  few,  and 
what  to  do  with  an  audience  or  class  is  itself  a  momen- 


AS  GOD'S  INTERPRETER.  H5 

tous  issue.  The  same  subjects  which  engaged  our 
Lord's  ministry,  which  then  awakened  and  made  glad 
the  hearts  of  the  people,  are  today  the  subjects  of  Sun- 
day school  teaching.  Here,  even  as  the  Master  did,  the 
teacher  opens  the  book,  made  larger  now  by  the  New 
Testament,  and  finds  the  place  where  it  is  written.  Out 
of  the  book  he  gets  his  authoritative  word,  speaks  for 
the  King,  gives  out  his  authoritative  message  of  grace 
and  truth.  The  teacher  should  magnify  his  class  in 
heart  and  mind  as  his  audience,  worthy  of  command- 
ing consideration,  regardless  of  how  many  or  what 
age.  He  comes  to  his  class  even  as  his  Lord  came  to 
the  people,  bearing  treasures  from  the  storehouse  of 
the  King,  laden  and  rich  with  the  good  things  of  the 
kingdom. 

We  use  the  word  pupil  and  scholar  in  somewhat 
elastic  way  as  applied  to  those  attending  Sunday  school. 
This  is  unavoidable  perhaps,  and  yet  unfortunate,  lest 
we  fail  to  accord  this  service  its  rightful  dignity  and 
character  as  a  school,  and  then  fail  again  to  rightly 
recognize  its  class  work  as  a  teaching  process.  But 
there  is  advantage  in  the  wide  range  of  condition  with 
those  who  attend;  it  makes  the  field  more  diversified, 
and  ever  white  unto  the  harvest,  enlarges  the  oppor- 
tunity and  gives  possibilities  which  no  man  can  meas- 
ure. The  attendance  is  of  all  ages,  from  the  very 
young  child  to  men  and  women  far  advanced  in  years, 
of  all  degrees  of  training  and  lack  of  training,  of  all 
conditions  in  social  life,  family  life,  and  other  methods 
of  classifying  and  grading. 

These  present  almost  infinite  variety,  but  also  in- 


116  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

finite  possibility  for  God  and  for  the  good  of  mankind 
— much  like  the  multitudes,  we  may  imagine,  which 
greeted  the  great  Teacher  on  the  mountain  side,  the 
lake  shore  or  the  crowded  street.  They  are  gathered 
here  in  this  teaching  service  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
with  him  as  its  center  and  inspiration,  with  its  teachers 
to  stand  in  his  stead  and  teach  out  of  his  doctrine  as" 
his  interpreters  among  men. 

Assembled  in  Classes  for  Instruction.  Pupil 
has  reference  to  setting  them  in  classes  for  direction 
and  management,  scholar  refers  to  learning  on  their 
part  and  teaching  on  the  teacher's  part.  There  must, 
of  course,  be  wise  distribution  of  scholars  and  teach- 
ers, with  graded  lessons,  and  especially  graded  teach- 
ing— grading  the  classes  by  age  for  the  most  part,  but 
possibly  sometimes  by  other  considerations,  separate 
classes  and  separate  classrooms,  with  everything  done 
to  the  best  advantage  and  for  the  most  effective  serv- 
ice. Notwithstanding  this  distribution  of  scholars  into 
classes,  the  school  preserves  its  strong  and  beautiful 
oneness.  It  is  the  amalgamation  of  many  into  one, 
made  homogeneous  somewhat,  combined  into  one  uni- 
form whole,  with  one  purpose  and  largely  in  one  spirit, 
while  the  separate  class  as  the  teacher's  audience  opens 
the  way  for  the  teacher  and  gives  emphasis  for  the 
teaching  service. 

This  one  class  is  the  teacher's  concern,  the  burden  of 
his  heart,  but  also  his  joy  and  crown  of  rejoicing.  The 
conditions  call  for  the  best  teachers,  and  these  teachers 
at  their  best.  There  must  be  devoutness  of  spirit  and 
faithfulness  in  teaching.     "The  humblest  worker  in 


AS  GOD'S  INTERPRETER,  117 

the  mill  can  do  an  absolutely  ideal  work  if  he  is  doing 
it  in  the  right  spirit.  This  whole  social  fabric  of  ours 
is  only  a  gigantic  mill,  and  the  eternal  value  of  our 
work  does  not  depend  upon  the  question  of  whether 
the  wheel  we  have  to  turn  is  a  small  one  or  a  large 
one."  These  noble  words  from  Professor  Munster- 
berg,  so  true  and  beautiful  for  every  position  and  re- 
lation of  life,  have  distinct  significance  for  the  Sunday 
school  teacher  with  his  one  class  gathered  in  the  church 
service  to  study  and  teach  the  word  of  God. 

How  often  and  sadly  we  do  miss  it,  in  our  judgment 
as  to  what  is  small  and  what  large.  In  this  school 
throughout,  the  present  borders  on  the  future,  the 
temporal  on  the  eternal,  the  mightest  educational  pro- 
cesses are  at  work.  The  teacher  who  sees  nothing 
great  in  his  class,  nothing  momentous  in  this  teaching 
hour,  or  has  inadequate  sense  of  responsibility  in  hand- 
ling the  word  of  God,  is  like  the  preacher  who  fails  in 
personal  respect  for  his  audience  and  undervalues  its 
meaning.  He  dishonors  his  message  as  coming  from 
the  King,  and  falls  short  in  his  ministry  of  the  high 
calling  of  God.  The  greatness  of  the  Sunday  school 
class  is  measured  not  by  the  number  or  age  of  its  mem- 
bers, but  by  their  spiritual  need,  by  the  greatness  of 
the  teacher's  message,  by  the  immeasureable  greatness 
of  his  possible  achievements.  This  exalted  but  just 
conception  of  the  teacher's  function  greatly  magnifies 
his  office,  and  should  be  his  inspiration  and  joy. 

To  Interpret  God  and  His  Word.  This  is  the 
process  and  first  aim  in  Sunday  school  instruction,  and 
is  needed  alike  by  all  scholars,  whether  adult  or  chil- 


118  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

dren  of  very  tender  years.  The  large  classes  of  men, 
being  formed  in  Sunday  schools  throughout  the  coun- 
try, and  becoming  more  frequent  and  commanding, 
greatly  emphasize  the  importance  of  Sunday  school 
work,  and  augment  its  efficiency  for  making  better 
church  life  and  better  service  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
But  we  must  not  allow  ourselves  to  undervalue  the 
smaller  class  or  the  work  of  teaching  those  who  are 
younger — even  the  youngest  and  most  unpromising. 
It  is  wonderful  to  teach  any  one  in  the  thought  of  God, 
child  or  grown  up  person.  Their  spiritual  need  is 
much  the  same,  and  must  be  met  in  much  the  same  way 
through  the  Scriptures  as  the  instrument  of  teaching, 
with  the  teacher  being  interpreter  of  God's  thought  and 
word  and  will. 

Our  Saviour  was  moved  with  compassion  when  he 
saw  the  multitude,  not  merely  the  number,  but  the  need 
of  those  who  thronged  him.  He  saw  their  hunger,  but 
also  their  deeper  need.  They  were  as  sheep  without 
a  shepherd,  lost  and  without  a  Saviour.  This  condi- 
tion of  the  class,  this  heart  need  of  the  scholars,  of 
whatever  age,  and  whether  many  or  few,  is  what  holds 
the  teacher  to  his  task,  and  stirs  in  him  the  spirit  and 
mission  of  his  Master.  He  is  moving  in  the  sphere  of 
eternal  value,  is  at  the  very  point  where  heaven  and 
earth  co-operate  in  a  way  to  make  joy  among  the 
angels  of  God. 

The  teaching  hour  is  a  momentous  hour.  Mighty 
issues  hang  in  the  balance  and  await  the  turning  of 
the  scale.  The  teacher  thinks  God's  thought  after  him, 
speaks  his  word  as  he  would  have  it  spoken,  and  in  the 


A8  GOD'S  INTERPRETER.  119 

meaning  which  he  intends,  interprets  God  and  his  word 
that  others  may  know  him.  The  question  who  is  God, 
and  what  of  him,  is  incomparably  the  greatest  question 
which  can  engage  the  human  mind,  a  question  the  right 
answer  to  which  is  paramount  to  all  else,  a  question 
too  in  reach  of  the  child  and  the  unschooled,  while 
taxing  to  the  utmost  the  profoundest  thinkers.  Bun- 
yan's  "Mr.  Wrong  Thoughts  About  God,"  was  a  real 
character,  whose  successors  even  now  are  abroad  in  the 
land,  working  havoc  in  nearly  every  department  of 
learning.  A  recent  writer  charges  even  the  great  theo- 
logians with  "misrepresenting  God."  But  the  man 
who  can  set  aside  the  world's  great  theologians  with 
a  wave  of  the  hand  is  liable  himself  to  be  wide  of  the 
mark,  and  little  suited  to  lead  others  aright  in  their 
thinking. 

Manifestly  we  are  dependent  on  the  Scriptures  both 
in  forming  our  own  views  of  God  and  in  teaching 
others  to  know  him.  We  need  to  follow  the  thought, 
and  even  use  the  language  of  those  who  spoke  for  him, 
when  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  day  of  special 
inspiration.  To  tell  who  God  is,  what  God  thinks, 
what  God  says,  and  what  are  his  purposes — to  venture 
into  this  kingdom  of  high  interpretation,  is  enough  to 
make  an  angel  hesitate,  and  yet  is  exactly  the  sphere 
and  mission  of  the  Sunday  school  teacher.  To  think 
right  thoughts  about  God,  and  to  rightly  represent 
God's  thoughts,  is  of  infinite  concern.  It  gives  base 
line  and  bearing  for  correct  thought  on  religion  and 
all  religious  matters;  is  the  undergirding  of  all  Sunday 
school  instruction,  the  bolting  through  and  through  of 


120  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

all  doctrinal  character  and  life,  of  all  holy  living  and 
godly  endeavor. 

Examples  of  How  to  Interpret.  It  is  not  pos- 
sible to  define  God.  The  Bible  nowhere  undertakes 
either  definition  or  proof  of  his  existence.  It  tells 
glorious  things  of  him,  however,  things  which  speak 
for  themselves  as  the  sun  in  the  splendor  of  noon,  of 
his  being  and  person,  of  his  infinite  attributes  and  in- 
expressable  greatness.  Those  who  know  most  of  him 
feel  most  profoundly  that  there  is  "none  like  unto  him, 
glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises,  doing  wonders." 
The  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  him,  and  the 
whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory.  Yet  with  condescen- 
sion pass  finding  out  he  bends  the  heavens  and  comes 
down,  is  mindful  of  men  in  these  wondrous  words  of 
his  own  speaking :  "Them  that  honor  me  I  will  honor ; 
they  that  despise  me  shall  be  lightly  esteemed." 

In  the  Book  of  God  we  may  walk  with  him  and 
think  his  thoughts  after  him.  In  its  pages,  heaven-lit 
with  the  glory  of  his  presence,  we  have  examples  of 
interpretation  and  lofty  terms  in  which  we  can  think 
and  express  our  thoughts  concerning  him.  This  is  our 
standard  of  interpretation,  and  must  command  the 
heart  and  conscience  in  teaching.  It  is  lofty  thinking, 
and  the  noblest  mold  in  which  to  cast  our  thoughts. 
The  writers  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament  alike  spoke 
with  unerring  authority  while  our  Lord  was  himself 
his  own  authority  in  making  revelation  of  the  Father. 

These  interpret  God  so  that  others  may  know  him  in 
relation  to  their  sin,  show  him  at  once  the  God  of 
wrath  with  consuming  fire  for  those  who  repent  not 


AS  GOD'S  1XTERPRETER.  121 

and  believe  not,  but  also  the  God  of  infinite  love  with 
saving  grace  to  such  as  seek  his  pardoning  mercy  in 
the  blood  which  was  shed  for  sin.  They  came  by  the 
way  of  the  cross  in  their  interpretation,  and  we  must 
follow  as  they  lead.  This  twofold  view  of  God  is  of 
infinite  moment  to  us,  if  we  would  know  him  aright 
ourselves  and  interpret  him  aright  for  others.  Any- 
thing short  of  that  is  short  of  the  truth,  a  discredit  to 
the  teacher,  a  dishonor  to  God,  and  endangers  the  very 
soul  of  those  whom  we  teach,  regardless  of  their  age  or 
other  conditions.  We  are  thinking  after  the  King,  and 
need  to  walk  in  the  King's  highway. 

The  Teacher's  Prayer  as  Interpreter.  Prayer 
in  its  highest  form  is  communion,  fellowship,  worship 
of  God.  While  the  teacher  tells  his  class  of  God,  he 
also  tells  God  about  his  class.  The  more  deeply  the 
magnitude  of  his  work  takes  hold  on  the  teacher's  heart 
the  more  he  feels  the  need  of  divine  help,  both  in  the 
interpretation  of  his  word  and  in  opening  the  hearts 
of  the  scholars  to  hear.  He  needs  to  come  face  to  face 
with  God  before  he  comes  face  to  face  with  his  audi- 
ence. He  needs  to  pray  as  Moses  prayed :  "I  beseech 
thee,  show  me  thy  glory.  Send  us  not  up  hence  unless 
thy  presence  go  with  us."  How  we  do  need  the 
heavenly  assurance,  "My  presence  shall  go  with  thee." 

The  teacher  must  keep  God  in  mind  as  God,  and 
with  his  class  must  worship  him  in  the  beauty  of  holi- 
ness. This  is  basal  to  all  else  and  starts  where  the 
Bible  starts.  Godhood  comes  before  Fatherhood;  uni- 
versal Godhood  before  universal  Fatherhood.  His 
being  God — the  I  Am  that  I  Am — gives  meaning  and 


122  TEE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

strength  to  every  other  phase  of  his  character  and 
work.  It  is  this  tremendous  fact  that  awakens  the 
sense  of  reverence,  worship  and  awe.  It  is  sublime  and 
joyous  to  interpret  God  to  others,  whether  adult  or 
child,  and  of  infinite  moment  to  interpret  aright  that 
they  may  know  aright. 

A  little  child  fresh  from  the  Sunday  school  class 
was  asked  by  a  professed  infidel  this  mightiest  of  all 
questions:  "But  how  do  you  know  there  is  a  God?" 
She  answered  in  the  ardor  of  childhood:  "Why,  my 
teacher  knows  God — she  just  knows  him."  That 
teacher  surely  walked  in  the  ways  of  God,  had  been 
on  the  mount,  and  came  to  the  class  with  a  shining 
face.  The  child  took  knowledge  of  her,  that  she  had 
been  with  God  and  learned  of  him.  "I  beseech  thee, 
show  me  thy  glory.  Send  us  not  up  hence,  except  thy 
presence  go  with  us." 


CHAPTER  X. 

TO  INTERPRET  CHRIST  THE  LORD. 

AS  Seen  in  the  New  Testament.  The  Bible 
has  for  its  object,  speaking  broadly,  the  interpre- 
tation of  Christ,  and  offers  him  to  the  world  as  the 
Saviour  from  sin.  Its  finest  flower,  perhaps,  is  the 
great  word:  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son,  who  as  the  Lamb  of  God  beareth 
away  the  sin  of  the  world.  The  law  and  the  prophets 
were  until  John  as  the  man  sent  of  God,  and  were  ful- 
filled when  Jesus  of  Nazareth  appeared  on  the  scene. 
What  the  beloved  disciple  said  of  his  own  Gospel  is 
equally  true  of  the  Scriptures  as  a  whole:  "These  are 
written  that  ye  might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God ;  and  that  believing  ye  might  have  life 
through  his  name." 

Their  fulfillment  brought  in  a  new  era  and  set  a  new 
order  in  the  movement  of  human  events.  Old  Testa- 
ment prophecies  became  New  Testament  history,  writ- 
ten by  chosen  men,  that  Christ  might  be  made  known 
through  successive  years  even  to  this  present  time.  The 
two  questions,  one  asked  by  Christ  himself,  the  other 
by  Pilate — what  think  ye  of  Christ?  what  then  will 
you  do  with  Jesus? — are  still  living  questions  of  pres- 
ent moment  and  power.  Who  is  he,  and  what  of  him? 
What  of  his  unique  life  and  incomparable  teaching? 

123 


124  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

What  of  his  death  on  the  cross,  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  his  enthronement  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Majesty  on  high?  What  of  his  great  commission  with 
its  mighty  meaning,  its  far-reaching  sweep  of  thought 
and  conquest,  its  promise  of  his  abiding  presence  with 
those  who  are  working  out  his  purpose  and  the  ful- 
fillment of  his  mission  in  the  world? 

These  are  extraordinary  questions,  and  press  for 
answer  wherever  the  gospel  is  preached.  They  hold 
the  hope  of  the  world's  redemption,  and  contemplate 
the  coronation  of  the  world's  Redeemer,  if  only  we 
seek  our  answer  in  the  New  Testament  as  the  authori- 
tative word.  He  is  the  glory  of  its  pages,  as  he  was 
the  constant  wonder  while  on  earth  even  to  those  near- 
est him.  Those  who  wrote  of  him,  whose  records  have 
come  down  to  us,  as  well  as  those  about  whom  they 
wrote,  never  once  lost  sight  of  him.  He  filled  the  field 
of  their  vision  from  the  opening  in  Matthew  to  the 
glorious  closing  in  Revelation.  We  must  follow  the 
testimony  of  these  men  in  its  letter  and  meaning,  and 
interpret  him  in  their  spirit  and  with  their  intent. 

A  Right  Creed  Concerning  Christ.  The  gen- 
eral principle  discussed  in  the  preceding  chapter  has 
here  its  specific  application — the  Sunday  school  teach- 
er's interpretation  of  his  Lord.  It  is  a  high  and  holy 
task,  full  of  meaning  for  the  teacher,  brings  the  mes- 
sage of  salvation  to  the  pupil,  and  is  at  the  very  heart 
of  Sunday  school  instruction  and  purpose.  To  inter- 
pret Christ  aright  the  teacher  must  have  a  right  creed 
concerning  Christ.  But  this  creed  must  be  more  than 
mere  words  in  creedal  form,  however  correct  and  com- 


INTERPRETATION  OF  CHRIST.  125 

plete,  however  important  and  even  essential.  It  must 
be  a  creed  of  character  and  life,  of  spirit  and  Chris- 
tian activities — a  reproduction  of  Christ  and  of  the 
Christly;  a  creed  in  word  and  spirit  that  comes  from 
learning  of  him  and  the  New  Testament  men,  in  life 
and  devotion,  in  teaching  and  service — Christly 
throughout,  and  coming  to  its  full  meaning  with  the 
Sunday  school  teacher  in  the  lesson  hour  when  he 
interprets  Christ  in  what  he  is,  what  he  has  done,  and 
what  his  will  and  purpose  among  men. 

To  make  Christ  known  has  been  the  one  Christian 
purpose  through  all  the  centuries,  and  while  more  per- 
sons now  call  him  Lord  and  rejoice  in  his  saving  grace 
than  ever  before,  yet  the  right  interpretation  of  him 
is  today  the  most  urgent  of  all  our  problems  both  for 
his  cause  and  for  saving  the  world.  There  are  many 
voices  crying,  Lo,  here  and  lo  there,  concerning  him, 
and  there  is  conflict  in  the  cry.  There  is  pressing  need 
for  a  right  creed,  a  decisive  word,  a  supreme  standard, 
a  final  authority  concerning  him.  They  are  the  best 
people  who  in  character  and  life,  in  service  and  doc- 
trine, best  represent  Christ  before  the  world,  and  best 
interpret  his  word  as  his  message  of  grace  to  men  lost 
in  sin. 

Yet  the  very  best  interpreters  among  us  need  as  their 
guide  interpreters  higher  up — and  yet  higher  up,  until 
we  come  to  the  Scriptures  as  the  sole  authority  to 
speak  the  final  word,  to  show  what  manner  of  man  he 
was,  and  what  manner  of  Saviour  to  save  unto  the 
uttermost  all  who  come  unto  God  through  him.  We 
cannot  press  too  strongly  at  this  point  our  absolute 


126  TEE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CEURCE. 

dependence  on  the  New  Testament  for  the  creed  con- 
cerning Christ,  or  its  ample  sufficiency  for  all  we  need, 
or  its  sovereign  right  to  rule  in  our  thinking  and  teach- 
ing concerning  him.  The  interpretation  of  Christ  is 
practically  to  interpret  the  New  Testament.  The  his- 
toric Christ  at  least  is  even  impossible  to  us  except 
through  the  New  Testament.  We  are  safe  only  as  we 
speak  its  word  and  walk  its  way. 

The  New  Testament  first  and  foremost  is  history, 
and  its  primal  value  is  its  historic  value.  But  it  is 
much  more.  Besides  its  history  as  the  basis  of  all  else, 
there  is  also  the  New  Testament  spirit,  the  New  Testa- 
ment life,  the  New  Testament  doctrine  and  teaching, 
the  New  Testament  mission  and  destiny.  And  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  is  the  one  central,  masterful  figure 
throughout,  who  gives  meaning  and  character  to  all 
else,  and  without  whom  nothing  would  remain.  This 
book  is  the  one  original  source,  and  is  open  to  us,  new, 
fresh  and  illuminating  as  the  sunlight  which  this  morn- 
ing broke  over  the  eastern  hills  and  filled  the  eastern 
sky  with  glory. 

The  New  Testament  Christ.  It  was  pre- 
eminently fitting,  and  necessary  too,  that  the  coming  of 
the  heavenly  visitor  to  this  world  should  first  be  an- 
nounced by  the  heavenly  messenger.  An  angel  told 
Joseph  and  Mary  of  his  coming,  told  them  in  lofty 
and  lordly  language  who  he  was,  how  he  should  come, 
and  what  his  glorious  mission  among  men.  When  he 
came,  the  angel  with  a  great  company  of  the  heavenly 
host  brought  the  glad  news  to  the  shepherds  in  the  an- 
nouncement of  his  advent :  "Unto  you  is  born  this  day 


INTERPRETATION  OF  CHRIST.  127 

in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the 
Lord." 

It  was  a  wonderful  saying,  and  was  the  fulfillment 
of  Isaiah's  word  spoken  centuries  before:  "Unto  us  a 
child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given ;  and  the  govern- 
ment shall  be  upon  his  shoulders,  his  name  shall  be 
called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the 
Everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace."  This  was 
the  meaning  of  the  manger  with  its  holy  contents,  and 
is  the  starting  place  for  all  efforts  to  interpret  him 
whom  the  shepherds  worshiped,  and  before  whom  the 
wise  men  spread  their  gold,  frankincense  and  myrrh — 
Christ  the  Lord,  born  as  the  world's  Saviour.  Every- 
thing in  the  New  Testament  works  out  from  this  event 
and  in  confirmation  of  this  record. 

Matthew's  gospel  leads  the  way  as  the  Genesis  of 
the  New  Testament.  As  author  he  holds  unique  place 
among  authors,  and  his  Gospel  as  a  pen  picture  of  our 
Lord  is  of  surpassing  importance  and  of  incomparable 
charm  in  the  world  of  literature.  Though  probably  not 
the  first  written  of  the  New  Testament  books,  it  is  yet 
first  in  every  essential  sense,  and  came  to  its  place  by 
fitness  and  right,  by  divine  care  and  historical  neces- 
sity. Its  portraiture  of  him  may  be  outlined  as  fol- 
lows: 

i.  Jesus  the  Messiah  of  Prophecy. 

2.  Jesus  the  King  with  a  Kingdom. 

3.  Jesus  the  Incomparable  Teacher. 

4.  Jesus  the  World's  only  Saviour. 

5.  Jesus  the  One  Unconquered  Conqueror. 


128  TEE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

These  five  great  lines  run  full  length  of  Matthew's 
gospel,  becoming  all  the  while  more  and  more  lumin- 
ous. They  are  comprehensive,  but  not  complete.  Back 
of  all  this  is  still  the  profounder  question  of  his  Person : 
Who  was  he?  Who  is  he?  The  outlines  of  the  por- 
traiture do  not  touch  the  deeper  question  of  his  essen- 
tial nature.  There  is  a  Person  in  the  portraiture.  Mat- 
thew sets  him  before  us  in  noblest  and  charming  fash- 
ion, leaves  no  doubt  or  room  to  question  the  Lordship 
of  Jesus,  his  essential  Deity.  He  was  the  Messiah,  but 
also  the  Son  of  the  living  God;  the  Prince  of  Peace, 
but  also  the  everlasting  Father.  It  is  well  to  walk 
these  heavenly  heights  in  the  kingdom  of  thinking,  and 
to  breathe  this  heavenly  atmosphere,  if  we  venture  to 
stand  in  his  stead  and  interpret  in  his  behalf. 

Confirmed  in  the  Testimony  of  Others.  Other 
writers  followed  Matthew  to  complete  his  interpreta- 
tion of  Christ,  confirming  and  emphasizing,  sometimes 
enlarging  and  even  making  more  luminous  all  he 
wrote,  and  showing  in  noble  proportions  the  por- 
traiture of  their  Lord  and  ours.  Throughout  from 
first  to  last  of  the  New  Testament  pages  Christ  is  set 
forth  as  Christ  the  Lord,  as  being  born  and  having  his 
life  among  men,  teaching  and  doing  his  mighty  work, 
dying  on  the  cross,  rising  from  the  dead,  ascending 
into  glory,  and  as  being  now  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
Then  follows  full  interpretation  of  what  all  this  means, 
clear,  strong,  and  never  once  wavering  from  the  Lord- 
ship of  his  Person,  or  the  Saviourhood  of  his  office,  or 
the  work  of  redemption  through  his  blood,  until  in 
vision  of  final  triumph  and  coronation  glory  he  is  pre- 


INTERPRET ATWS  OF  CHRIST.  129 

sented  to  all  created  intelligences  as  King  of  kings  and 
Lord  of  lords. 

Peter,  who  had  received  the  revelation  from  heaven, 
led  all  the  other  disciples  with  the  wonderful  confes- 
sion for  himself  and  them :  "Thou  art  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  the  living  God."  As  one  born  out  of  due  time, 
Paul  later  spoke  the  word  concerning  Christ,  both  for 
himself  and  for  all  in  every  age  who  have  known  his 
saving  grace :  "It  is  a  faithful  saying  and  worthy  of  all 
acceptation  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to 
save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief."  "I  am  crucified 
with  Christ,  who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  for  me." 
"He  emptied  himself,  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross.  Therefore  God  hath  highly 
exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  above  every  name, 
that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  might  bow  and 
every  tongue  confess  him  Lord  to  the  glory  of  God 
the  Father." 

But  it  was  left  for  John,  ripe  and  rich  in  experience 
with  his  Master,  to  complete  the  record;  to  bring  in 
the  final  scene  of  New  Testament  coronation,  with  the 
new  heaven  and  the  new  earth,  with  the  work  of  re- 
demption finished,  and  the  song  of  Moses  become  the 
song  of  the  Lamb:  "Unto  him  that  loved  us  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  be  glory 
and  dominion  forever  and  ever." 

What  Christ  Said  for  Himself.  It  is  worth 
while  to  go  back  of  these  men  to  see  where  they  an- 
chored their  faith  and  conviction,  to  find  the  inspira- 
tion of  their  hope  and  triumphant  note.  Were  these 
men  and  others  justified  in  what  they  say  of  their 

9 


130  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Lord?  Are  we  justified  in  following  them?  They 
knew  him,  had  every  opportunity  of  knowing  him 
thoroughly.  They  served  and  suffered,  wrought  and 
died  as  all  the  world  knows,  never  once  wavering  in 
the  steadfastness  of  their  faith  and  confidence.  But 
the  Sunday  school  teacher  and  others  may  even  go 
back  of  these  men  in  a  sense,  and  through  their  aid 
may  stand  next  to  Christ  himself,  deal  with  him  at 
first  hand,  know  him  for  themselves. 

Our  Lord  himself  and  his  first  word  which  he  spoks 
for  himself,  mean  the  same  to  us  as  for  the  first  dis- 
ciples. He  speaks  in  the  present  tense,  and  leaves  no 
uncertain  word  for  himself,  if  only  we  accept  his  word 
in  its  simplicity  and  fullness  of  meaning.  He  used  not, 
for  he  needed  not,  the  formula  of  the  old  prophets, 
"The  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  me  saying,"  but 
rather  spoke  for  himself  with  that  imperial  word, 
"Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you."  He  spoke,  as  cen- 
turies before  God  had  spoken  from  the  burning  bush, 
I  Am  that  I  Am. 

"Before  Abraham  was  I  am."  "As  the  Father  hath  life  in 
himself,  so  also  it  is  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself." 
"I  have  power  to  lay  down  my  life,  and  I  have  power  to  take 
it  again."  "I  am  the  way,  the  truth  and  the  life."  "No  man 
cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me."  "He  that  cometh  unto 
me.  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  "I  am  the  resurrection  and 
the  life."  "Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  "Ye  believe  in  God,  believe 
also  in  me."  "He  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father 
also."  "I  and  the  Father  are  one."  "Son,  thy  sins  be  for- 
given thee — that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath 
power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins,  Take  up  thy  bed  and  walk." 
"All  authority  is  given  unto  me — and  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 


IXTERPRETATIOX  OF  CHRIST.  131 

These  words,  and  many  others  of  similar  import, 
spake  Jesus  concerning  himself — speaking  as  no  man 
could  speak.  They  make  sure,  beyond  all  peradven- 
ture,  the  supernatural  in  his  life  and  the  theistic  in  his 
Person.  The  word  supernatural  is  a  strong,  noble 
word,  and  comes  to  its  fullness  of  meaning  as  applied 
to  Christ.  And  yet  it  is  hardly  adequate  to  him,  being 
a  relative  term,  a  question  of  up  and  down,  and  de- 
pending on,  who  one  is  and  what  the  sphere  of  his 
operation.  Not  so  with  the  word  theistic,  nor  the 
theistic  element  in  the  Person  of  Jesus,  but  these  are 
fundamental  and  absolute  terms.  This  exceptional  and 
mighty  word  carries  us  to  the  very  heart  of  the  nature 
of  Jesus,  and  is  of  the  very  essence  of  Deity. 

Besides,  God  sometimes  endowed  men  with  super- 
natural power,  temporarily  and  when  the  occasion  re- 
quired, but  not  so  with  Jesus  and  the  supernatural  in 
his  life.  He  was  supernatural  not  as  an  endowment, 
but  the  supernatural  is  essential  quality  of  his  being. 
Jesus  was  human  and  superhuman,  essentially  natural 
and  essentially  supernatural,  walking  among  men,  yet 
more  than  man.  He  was  also  theistic — theistic  in  na- 
ture and  person,  in  power  and  authority ;  had  the  abil- 
ity and  the  right  to  do  what  man  cannot  do;  he  was 
Son  of  man  and  Son  of  God,  human  and  theistic,  very 
God  and  very  man. 

Such  is  the  plain  and  necessary  meaning  of  the  word 
which  Christ  spoke  concerning  himself.  What  he  said 
of  himself,  we  may  say  of  him  in  reverent,  obedient 
hearts.  We  cannot  stop  short,  we  have  no  desire  to 
stop  short  of  these  august,  imperial  words  which  mark 


132  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

him  as  Lord  and  Saviour.  His  appeal  to  Thomas — 
"be  not  faithless,  but  believing" — reaches  and  masters 
our  hearts,  and  we  believe,  though  having  not  seen, 
and  answer  as  Thomas  answered :  "My  Lord  and  my 
God."  Then  comes  his  sublime  crowning  word  as  he 
faces  his  Father :  "I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast 
given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they  may  be- 
hold my  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me;  for  thou 
lovest  me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world."  "I 
have  finished  the  work  thou  gavest  me  to  do."  "The 
glory  which  thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them." 

His  Miracles  as  Signs  of  Who  He  Is.  We  may 
walk  in  the  light  of  his  parables,  and  in  the  strength 
of  his  miracles.  Christ's  parables  and  miracles  are 
unique,  and  are  worthy  of  separate  study,  but  they 
supplement  each  other,  and  have  the  common  end  of 
making  him  known.  The  parables  concern  for  the 
most  part  the  mysteries  of  his  kingdom,  making  known 
his  nature  and  power  and  coming  glory  with  himself 
as  King.  The  miracles  are  different,  in  a  sense  more 
powerful.  The  use  of  the  word  sign  instead  of  the 
word  miracle  by  the  New  Revision,  is  distinct  gain  in 
translation  and  meaning.  The  things  which  Jesus  did 
were  miracles,  in  view  of  their  effect  on  the  people. 
They  excited  wonder,  the  people  were  astonished,  and 
said  they  never  saw  it  on  this  fashion.  They  were 
called  powers,  when  considered  as  to  their  source  or 
cause;  they  were  extraordinary,  the  product  of  ex- 
traordinary power.  The  word  sign,  as  applied  to  our 
Lord's  work,  goes  to  the  very  heart  of  their  meaning 
and  purpose.    They  testify  to  him,  signify  who  he  is, 


1XTERPRETATI0X  OF  CER1HT.  133 

as  to  his  rank  and  mission.  The  "beginning  of  his 
signs  did  Jesus  in  Cana  of  Galilee,  and  manifested  his 
glory;  and  his  disciples  believed  on  him."  "In  Jeru- 
salem at  the  Passover,  during  the  Feast,  many  believed 
on  his  name,  beholding  his  signs  which  he  did."  "Nic- 
odemus,  a  ruler  of  the  Jews,  said  to  him,  Rabbi,  we 
know  that  thou  art  a  teacher  come  from  God;  for  no 
man  can  do  these  signs  that  thou  doest,  except  God  be 
with  him." 

The  signs  never  change  in  language  or  significance. 
They  made  him  known  then  and  make  him  known 
now.  They  speak  all  languages,  bear  testimony  to  him 
with  all  people  everywhere,  and  their  meaning  may  be 
summed  up  as  follows : 

1.  They  Show  the  Genuineness  of  his  Character, 

2.  They  Testify  the  Theistic  Element  in  his  Person, 

3.  They  are  the  Insignia  of  his  Authority  on  Eearth, 

4.  They  Foretoken  his  Ultimate  Purpose. 

The  old  Latin  saying  about  Jesus — //  not  God,  then 
not  good — stands  impregnable  in  the  conflict  of  today. 
His  signs  have  increased  in  the  power  of  their  testi- 
mony with  the  passing  centuries,  and  forecast  the  fu- 
ture for  triumphant  consummation.  He  gave  water 
and  fed  the  multitude,  and  in  the  end  there  shall  be  no 
more  thirst  nor  hunger.  He  forgave  sin,  cured  the 
sick,  relieved  the  suffering,  raised  the  dead,  fore- 
shadowing in  his  signs  that  in  the  new  heaven  and  the 
new  earth  "God  shall  wipe  all  tears  from  their  eyes; 
and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor 


134  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

crying;  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain,  for  God 
shall  be  with  them  and  be  their  God." 

Throughout  his  ministry  our  Lord,  with  absolute 
confidence  in  his  "works"  appealed  to  them  as  his  signs 
and  relied  on  them  as  convincing  testimony  in  his  be- 
half. He,  however,  never  called  them  miracles,  but 
works.  They  did  not  excite  his  wonder,  and  were  not 
a  surprise  to  him.  They  were  extraordinary  to  the 
people,  but  ordinary  to  him,  being  in  his  own  plane, 
and  resulting  in  the  simple  outgo  of  his  inherent  en- 
ergy. In  a  sense  they  are  no  longer  even  a  wonder  to 
us,  for  we  have  come  to  know  Christ,  that  these 
mighty  things  were  inevitable  under  his  gracious  touch 
and  word. 

At  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  the  most  trying  experience 
in  the  life  of  our  Lord  prior  to  Gethsemane  and  the 
cross,  he  was  greatly  troubled,  groaned  in  spirit  and 
made  special  prayer,  yet  calm  as  the  mountain  is  calm 
in  its  sunlit  glory;  he  spoke  the  word,  the  dead  man 
lived  and  came  forth — a  foretoken  of  the  time  when 
all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall  hear  his  voice  and 
come  forth,  they  that  have  done  good  unto  the  resur- 
rection of  life,  and  others  unto  condemnation. 

The  New  Testament  Summary.  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth was  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  the  one  Mediator  be- 
tween God  and  man.  As  the  Word  in  the  beginning 
with  God,  he  was  God,  became  flesh  and  dwelt  on  the 
earth.  John  and  others  saw  him  with  their  eyes, 
handled  him  with  their  hands,  knew  him  as  the  Word 
of  life.  They  beheld  his  glory  as  the  glory  of  the  only 
begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth.  In 
him  were  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowl- 


ihterpretatioh  of  christ.  135 

edge,  and  in  him  also  dwelleth  all  the  fullness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily.  This  is  the  New  Testament  sum- 
mary. And  the  Sunday  school  teacher's  interpretation 
of  his  Lord  follows  this  New  Testament  word  in  its 
spirit  of  obedience  and  reverence,  in  its  sentiment  of 
devotion  and  worship. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  comparable  man  of  history, 
and  God's  highest  revelation  of  himself.  He  was  the 
brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  the  expressed  image  of 
his  person.  To  see  him  is  to  see  God,  to  know  him  is 
to  know  God,  to  interpret  him  is  to  interpret  God,  to 
serve  him  is  to  serve  and  honor  God.  He  is  the  risen 
Christ  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high,  and 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us  through  the 
atonement  of  his  blood.  He  is  the  head  of  all  prin- 
cipality and  power.  If  any  man  sin  he  hath  an  Advo- 
cate with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous,  and 
his  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin.  He  is  all  and  in  all, 
and  we  are  complete  in  him. 

So  the  New  Testament  interprets  Jesus  throughout 
its  pages,  and  sets  him  before  the  world  as  the  world's 
redeemer.  "Great  is  the  mystery  of  Godliness;  God 
was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of 
angels,  preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the 
world,  received  up  into  glory."  Confessing  him  as 
our  Lord,  and  believing  that  God  hath  raised  him  from 
the  dead,  we  interpret  him  as  to  the  facts  of  his  life, 
as  to  who  he  is,  as  to  his  relation  to  the  needs  of  men, 
as  to  his  will  or  what  he  wants  done  in  the  world. 
We  give  ourselves  to  him  as  willing  messengers  to 
publish  everywhere  what  Jesus  has  done  in  saving  the 
lost  and  in  making  the  world  better. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  TEACHER  WITH  HIS  MESSAGE  OF  GRACE. 

THE  Crucified  and  Risen  Christ.  Christ  came 
as  the  Son  of  God,  "sent  to  make  propitiation  for 
sin."  As  the  Saviour  "he  was  delivered  up  for  our 
offenses,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justification." 
These  two  events  hold  the  center  of  human  history, 
and  are  central  as  doctrine  in  the  Christian  system. 
"If  thou  shall  confess  with  thy  mouth  Jesus  as  Lord, 
and  shalt  believe  in  thy  heart,  that  God  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved."  This  is  the  mes- 
sage of  grace  which  the  Sunday  school  teacher  bears  to 
his  class,  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one 
that  believeth. 

Through  the  death  of  Christ,  God  is  just  while  justi- 
fying the  sinner  who  believes  in  Jesus;  by  his  resur- 
rection from  the  dead,  Jesus  was  declared  to  be  the  Son 
of  God  with  power.  No  one  knows  Christ  aright,  or 
can  speak  the  word  in  his  behalf,  who  does  not  know 
him  in  his  atoning  death  and  resurrection  power.  His 
death  and  resurrection  are  matters  of  history,  essential 
and  basal  facts  in  the  work  of  redemption,  marvelous, 
and  beyond  all  compare  in  their  experiential  power. 

Scripture  Fact  and  What  the  Cross  has 
Wrought.  The  experience  of  the  cross  of  Christ  in 
the  heart,  in  its  power  to  deliver  from  sin  and  set  the 

136 


THE  MESSAGE  OF  GRACE.  137 

captive  sinner  free,  has  been  the  unbroken  triumph  of 
the  gospel  from  the  first  until  now.  There  was  opened 
in  the  house  of  David  a  fountain  for  sin  and  unclean- 
ness,  that  has  never  failed  of  cleansing  efficacy.  In 
the  shedding  of  his  blood  there  is  fullness  of  remission. 
"Much  more,  then,  being  now  justified  by  his  blood  we 
shall  be  saved  from  wrath  through  him — reconciled 
to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  we  shall  be  saved  by 
his  life."  "Him  who  knew  no  sin  God  made  to  be  sin 
on  our  behalf;  that  we  might  become  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him." 

I  saw  one  hanging  on  a  tree 

In  agonies  and  blood, 
Who  fixed  his  languid  eyes  on  me, 

As  near  his  cross  I  stood. 

Sure,  never  to  my  latest  breath, 

Can  I  forget  that  look ; 
It  seemed  to  charge  me  with  his  death, 

Though  not  a  word  he  spoke. 

My  conscience  felt  and  owned  the  guilt, 

It  plunged  me  in  despair ; 
I  saw  my  sins  his  blood  had  spilt, 

And  helped  to  nail  him  there. 

A  second  look  he  gave,  which  said: 

I  freely  all  forgive; 
This  blood  is  for  thy  ransom  paid ; 

I  die  that  thou  mayest  live. 

This  experience  of  the  sainted  Newton  has  been  re- 
peated over  and  over  again  in  those  who  with  their 
burdens  have  come  upon  the  cross  and  its  bleeding 
victim.    The  doctrine  of  the  cross  holds  its  place  among 


138  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

the  mysteries  of  grace,  but  its  saving  power  is  a  matter 
of  history  and  human  experience.  It  breaks  the  power 
of  sin  in  the  heart  and  masters  the  life  for  Christ. 
"God  forbid  that  I  should  glory  save  in  the  cross  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  the  world  is  crucified 
unto  me  and  I  unto  the  world."  "I  am  crucified  with 
Christ.  Nevertheless  I  live;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth 
in  me;  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live 
by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me  and  gave 
himself  for  me." 

Bunyan's  pilgrim  came  this  way  with  his  burden, 
and  had  the  same  story  to  tell  of  what  he  saw  and  ex- 
perienced and  found  at  the  cross.  The  hill  was  steep, 
the  way  rough  and  rocky,  while  the  heart  with  its  bur- 
den of  sin  had  come  almost  to  the  breaking  point.  "Up 
the  way,  therefore,  did  burdened  Christian  run,  but 
not  without  great  difficulty,  because  of  the  load  on  his 
back.  So  I  saw  in  my  dream,  that  just  as  Christian 
came  up  with  the  cross  his  burden  loosed  from  his 
shoulders,  and  fell  from  off  his  back,  and  began  to 
tumble,  and  so  continued  to  do,  till  it  came  to  the 
mouth  of  the  sepulchre,  where  it  fell  in,  and  I  saw  it 
no  more.  Then  he  stood  awhile,  he  looked  and  won- 
dered, for  it  was  very  surprising  to  him  that  the  sight 
of  the  cross  should  thus  ease  him  of  his  burden." 

Of  Moment  in  Sunday  School  Teaching.  The 
death  and  resurrection  of  Jesus  for  present-day  inter- 
pretation were  brought  over  on  purpose  from  the  pre- 
ceding chapter  because  of  their  essential  part  in  the 
teacher's  message  of  grace.  There  is  no  message  of 
grace  without  this.     The  teacher  who  is  dumb  before 


THE  MESSAGE  OF  OR  ACE.  139 

his  class  concerning  the  cross,  or  has  uncertain  words 
concerning  the  empty  sepulchre,  becomes  "sounding 
brass  or  a  tinkling  cymbal"  in  all  other  teaching. 
Whatever  else  he  may  have,  he  surely  does  not  carry 
the  message  of  grace,  and  is  not  a  messenger  of  salva- 
tion. This  is  the  crucial  point  in  teaching.  To  inter- 
pret our  Lord  in  any  phase  of  his  character  and  life  is 
of  tremendous  concern.  But  the  severest  moment  per- 
haps comes  when  the  teacher  beholds  the  Prince  of 
glory  die,  or  looks  with  John  and  Peter  into  the  open 
sepulchre,  and  turns  to  the  class  to  say,  which  being 
interpreted  means. 

The  right  interpretation  of  the  cross,  of  Christ's 
death  as  the  sacrifice  for  sin,  is  of  pressing  need  in 
pulpit  and  Sunday  school  teaching.  We  must  learn 
from  the  Scriptures  what  was  meant  and  accomplished 
by  his  death,  and  what  the  meaning  of  his  rising  from 
the  dead.  What  these  things  meant  to  the  first  preach- 
ers, they  must  mean  with  the  preachers  and  teachers 
of  today,  having  the  advantage,  however,  of  unbroken 
triumph  through  centuries.  There  can  be  no  right 
interpretation  of  the  cross  or  of  the  open  sepulchre 
except  as  we  interpret  them  in  the  language,  meaning 
and  spirit  of  the  New  Testament. 

Christ's  death  was  unlike  any  other  death  in  history 
as  to  its  purpose,  for  so  it  was  declared  both  by  him- 
self and  by  those  who  learned  of  him  in  word  and 
spirit.  No  one  can  understand  Christ  who  does  not 
see  in  him  from  his  baptism  onward  a  very  purpose 
and  passion  for  the  cross.  His  face  was  set  for  Jeru- 
salem and  Calvary.     Even  in  the  glory  of  transfigura- 


140  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

tion  he  talked  of  his  coming  death.  Midway  his  min- 
istry, with  his  memory  on  his  baptism  in  the  Jordan, 
with  the  cross  in  contemplation,  as  if  groaning  in  spirit, 
he  spoke  that  great  word:  "I  have  a  baptism  to  be 
baptized  with,  and  how  am  I  straightened  till  it  be  ac- 
complished?" Also  that  other  great  word  of  exultant 
triumph:  "I,  if  I  be  lifted  up,  will  draw  all  men  unto 
me.  This  spake  he,  signifying  by  what  death  he  should 
die,"  and  for  what  purpose  he  would  lay  down  his  life 
that  he  might  take  it  again. 

The  New  Testament  preachers  summed  up  all  their 
preaching  in  the  one  great  cardinal  fact,  Christ  and 
him  crucified.  "We  preach  not  ourselves,  but  Christ 
Jesus  the  Lord."  "I  delivered  unto  you  first  of  all 
that  which  I  also  received,  how  that  Christ  died  for 
our  sins  according  to  the  Scriptures;  and  that  he  was 
buried,  and  that  he  hath  been  raised  on  the  third  day 
according  to  the  Scriptures."  This  was  the  sum  and 
substance  of  the  message  of  grace  which  preachers  and 
teachers  of  the  cross  bore  to  all  the  peoples  of  the 
earth.  What  the  facts  meant  then,  and  what  the  mes- 
sage meant  then,  they  must  mean  now.  And  what  it 
did  for  those  people  is  what  it  offers  today  to  a  world 
in  sin.     It  is  salvation  by  the  cross. 

The  Cause  and  the  Occasion.  But  why  all  this? 
"Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered  these  things,  and 
to  enter  into  his  glory?"  Yes,  if  we  think  of  the  cross, 
and  think  on  the  occasion.  The  cause  was  in  the  love 
of  God,  the  occasion  was  man's  sin  which  brought  a 
crisis  in  the  moral  government  of  the  universe  and 
made  redemption  necessary.     "Herein  is  love,  not  that 


THE  MESSAGE  OF  GRACE.  141 

we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us  and  sent  his  Son 
to  be  propitiation  for  our  sin."  But  back  of  all  this 
and  over  against  the  cross,  as  an  overshadowing  dark- 
ness, is  "the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin." 

To  know  the  love  of  God  and  the  saving  power  of 
the  cross,  the  teacher  must  also  know  the  sin  of  the 
human  heart,  the  infinite  need  of  quickening  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  and  of  the  atoning  and  cleansing  efficacy 
of  the  blood  of  Christ  to  save  from  wrath  and  to  make 
the  heart  clean.  He  will  measure  the  greatness  of 
God's  love  and  the  power  of  the  cross,  as  he  sees  the 
enormity  of  sin;  or  he  will  know  the  awfulness  of  sin 
and  the  infinite  ruin  which  it  brings,  as  he  contem- 
plates and  rightly  views  the  marvelous  outlay  of  divine 
mercy. 

A  recent  English  writer  says,  There  is  need  for 
vastness  of  thought  in  the  preaching  of  today.  This 
is  true  also  of  the  Sunday  school  teacher  in  his  think- 
ing and  teaching.  Not  indefiniteness,  but  largeness  of 
view  in  teaching  the  mighty  things  of  redemption — 
largeness  of  view  concerning  God,  concerning  sin  in  its 
exceeding  sinfulness,  concerning  mercy  and  pardon, 
concerning  the  mighty  change  needful  and  possible  in 
the  human  life  and  heart.  "Seek  ye  the  Lord  while 
he  may  be  found,"  is  the  teacher's  message  of  grace. 
"Call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near.  Let  the  wicked 
forsake  his  way:  and  the  unrighteous  man  his 
thoughts;  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he 
will  have  mercy  upon  him;  and  to  our  God,  who  will 
abundantly  pardon."  This  is  the  call  of  mercy:  the 
sinner  answers  in  the  prayer  of  a  broken  heart : 


142  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

"O,  wash  my  soul  from  every  sin, 

And  make  my  guilty  conscience  clean, 
Are  not  thy  mercies  large  and  free? 
May  not  a  sinner  trust  in  thee? 

"My  sins  tho'  great  do  not  surpass 

The  power  and  glory  of  thy  grace. 
Great  God,  thy  nature  hath  no  bound, 
So  let  thy  pardoning  love  be  found." 


Such  prayer,  the  burden  of  every  heart  under  a 
sense  of  sin,  is  not  far  from  the  cross,  and  the  seeking 
sinner  is  not  far  from  the  Saviour  who  came  to  seek 
and  to  save.  The  teacher  who  feels  the  deep  need  of 
his  class  before  God,  and  makes  their  salvation  the 
burden  of  his  prayer,  will  greatly  enrich  his  message, 
and  bring  it  to  precious  fruitage  in  leading  the  lost  in 
the  ways  of  God  and  salvation. 

Winning  the  Lost  to  Christ  and  His  Service. 
This  is  the  meaning  of  the  teacher's  message  and  its 
vital  purpose.  The  preacher  or  teacher,  the  church  or 
its  school,  that  does  not  that  thing,  fails  of  his  mission, 
fails  in  the  thing  for  which  Christ  died.  Religious 
education  is  an  element  in  Sunday  school  teaching,  and 
of  vast  importance,  too,  as  will  be  shown  in  a  later 
chapter,  but  incidental  and  not  primal.  The  school 
should  give  culture  and  training  of  high  order,  such 
as  will  give  fitness  for  citizenship  in  the  kingdom  of 
God.  But  back  of  this  education  in  its  best  sense  is 
the  primal  and  imperial  purpose  of  saving  the  lost,  of 
winning  them  to  Christ,  and  to  his  service. 

The  principle  is  very  simple,  the  policy  comprehen- 
sive and  far-reaching.     One  must  have  the  pear  tree 


TEE  MESSAGE  OF  GRACE.  143 

before  he  can  raise  pears,  must  have  wheat  before  he 
can  grow  wheat.  Men  do  not  gather  grapes  of  thorns, 
nor  figs  of  thistles.  So  also  in  the  spiritual  kingdom 
where  one  deals  with  mind  and  soul  and  spirit,  in  rela- 
tion to  God  and  things  eternal.  What  will  it  profit  a 
man,  if  he  gain  the  whole  world,  including  all  educa- 
tion and  learning,  and  lose  his  soul — lose  himself  for 
this  life  and  for  what  lies  beyond? 

Salvation,  as  provided  in  the  New  Testament,  is 
something  apart  from  education,  though  itself  an 
educative  power.  It  has  to  do  with  one  in  his  sin,  at 
the  point  of  his  deepest  and  greatest  need.  It  is  de- 
liverance from  sin,  the  choicest  blessing  which  God 
can  give,  and  lays  the  groundwork  for  training  and 
culture  in  things  spiritual.  It  comes  through  the  cross, 
through  faith  in  Christ  crucified  and  risen  from  the 
dead  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners. 

Salvation,  as  pertaining  to  the  soul's  act,  means  re- 
pentance toward  God  and  faith  toward  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  It  brings  in  a  new  life  for  the  soul  through 
the  quickening  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  lays  the  basis 
for  a  new  character  with  new  relation  to  God.  It 
brings  a  new  day  into  one's  life,  whether  child  or 
adult,  and  sets  him  to  live  for  God,  and  for  others  in 
the  service  of  God.  It  is  regeneration  in  the  heart,  but 
reformation  in  manner  and  purpose  of  living.  Educa- 
tion through  salvation  is  easier  and  more  to  be  ex- 
pected than  salvation  through  education. 

The  Need  for  the  Supreme  Word.  There  must 
be  no  mistake  in  estimating  sin  as  to  its  nature  and 
deadly  effect  in  the  heart,  nor  in  estimating  salvation 


144  THE  SCHOOL  OF  TEE  CEVRCE. 

either  as  to  its  need  or  how  it  comes.  There  must  be 
the  authoritative  word,  and  this  is  found  only  in  the 
Scriptures.  The  teacher's  message  is  the  message  of 
grace  to  those  in  need  of  mercy.  Mercy  means  God 
dealing  with  sin  and  sinners,  means  God  in  Christ 
reconciling  the  world  unto  himself. 

Failing  in  this  the  teacher  will  surely  miss  the  mark 
in  all  his  teaching,  and  be  no  bearer  of  the  message  of 
grace,  and  will  surely  lead  his  class  into  danger  and 
peril,  in  whatever  department  or  grade  he  teaches, 
whether  adults  or  children.  It  is  a  fearful  blunder  to 
go  astray  as  God's  messenger,  and  fail  with  God's  mes- 
sage^— to  speak  other  words  than  God  would  have 
spoken,  and  which  are  needed  by  those  with  whose  life 
and  destiny  we  are  entrusted.  This  emphasizes  the  im- 
perative need  of  following  the  New  Testament  in  our 
efforts  to  save  the  lost  and  instruct  them  in  the  way 
of  life. 

The  teacher's  mission,  means  and  primal  purpose  are 
the  same  as  our  Saviour  had  when  on  earth.  In  a 
sense  the  same  as  those  which  carried  him  to  the  cross, 
and  made  effective  his  dying  for  sin  as  its  punishment, 
and  for  sinners  as  their  salvation.  Sin  is  the  same  now 
as  then,  not  always  in  symptoms  and  outward  mani- 
festations, but  the  same  in  the  heart  as  to  its  deadly 
and  ruinous  effects,  the  same  in  its  relation  to  God,  as 
putting  the  heart  at  enmity  with  him ;  it  makes  dead  in 
trespasses  now,  has  need  of  pardon  and  mercy,  which 
are  possible  only  through  the  blood  of  the  cross. 

Our  Saviour  spoke  the  final  word  for  all  who  would 
lead  the  lost  in  the  way  of  life.    He  bore  the  message 


THE  MESSAGE  OF  GRACE.  145 

of  grace,  and  met  the  lost  as  the  teacher  must  meet 
them  today.  The  woman  at  the  well  was  at  the  bottom 
of  the  moral  and  social  scale;  the  young  lawyer  was 
at  the  top  morally,  and  perhaps  socially;  Nicodemus 
was  moral  and  religious,  cultured  and  of  high  rank. 
These  are  types  of  those  lost  and  in  heart-need  of  sal- 
vation, and  Christ  met  their  common  need  with  the 
thought  concerning  God.  To  the  woman  he  said,  "God 
is  a  spirit,"  and  uncovered  her  heart  to  herself.  To 
the  young  lawyer  he  said,  "Only  one  is  good,  that  is 
God" — revealing  the  barrenness  and  shallowness  of  his 
soul,  showing  sin,  too,  in  its  inwardness  of  the  heart, 
a  darker  and  deadlier  evil  than  the  young  man  had  ever 
dreamed.  To  the  Jewish  Rabbi,  Christ  spoke  the  im- 
perial word  to  the  very  heart  of  his  need,  clearing  away 
the  formal  and  outward  polish  of  culture  and  moral 
living:  "Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man 
be  born  from  above  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God." 
A  Lesson  of  Danger  and  Warning.  These  types 
are  here  now,  and  must  be  met  as  they  were  met  then. 
The  Sunday  school  teacher  will  find  these  varying 
types  in  his  class,  and  must  deal  with  them  as  the 
Saviour  did,  in  the  same  spirit,  discovering  the  need 
which  sin  has  made,  and  offering  the  only  remedy  in 
the  blood  of  the  cross.  In  dealing  with  the  lost,  the 
teacher  must  go  beneath  the  surface,  back  of  the  cul- 
ture and  all  outward  show  to  the  inner  heart  where 
sin  is,  and  whence  are  the  issues  of  life.  It  is  not  a 
question  of  outward  condition  in  any  sense,  whether 
of  family  or  of  how  able  one  is,  or  of  what  manner  of 
life,  but  sin — sin  in  the  heart — zi'hat  to  do  with  sin. 
10 


146  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

A  preacher  visiting  a  large  church  was  asked  to 
make  a  talk  to  the  Sunday  school.  He  pointed  out  to 
the  children  what  sin  had  wrought  in  their  heart,  their 
need  of  salvation  through  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the 
atoning  blood  of  Christ.  But  the  teacher  interrupted 
him,  and  said :  "These  children  do  not  come  from  the 
slums ,  but  from  nice  homes,  and  do  not  need  what  you 
are  saying.''  Then  turning  to  the  class,  said:  "You 
children  who  love  Jesus,  hold  up  your  hands."  They 
all  voted  the  teacher  right !  A  Sunday  school  class  in 
which  there  is  no  room  nor  recognized  need  for  the 
cross  or  the  crucified  Christ,  is  a  sad,  sad  spectacle! 
A  class  wrapped  in  a  beautiful  winding  sheet,  yet  the 
teacher  not  even  knowing  they  are  dead — beautiful 
only  as  the  flower-covered  casket  is  beautiful,  or  the 
snow-covered  mound  in  the  cemetery! 

Forty  years  ago  the  possibility  of  "child  conversion" 
was  an  issue  much  discussed.  Now,  however,  some 
think  children  do  not  need  conversion,  while  others 
seem  to  think  they  are  the  only  possible  subjects  of 
conversion.  Consequently  the  grown-up  are  often 
neglected,  and  especially  if  they  are  not  in  the  Sunday 
school;  possibly  they  are  counted  beyond  the  saving 
power  of  the  gospel.  As  if  grace  were  shortened  or 
abridgement  had  come  in  the  efficacy  of  the  cross !  We 
need  ever  a  fresh  vision  of  Christ  in  his  saving  power. 
He  that  cometh  from  Edom  with  stained  garment  is 
still  the  Mighty  to  save.  The  teacher  should  carry  his 
message  of  grace  to  his  class,  and  beyond  his  class  into 
the  homes  and  social  circles  where  his  pupils  have  their 
daily  association. 


THE  MESSAGE  OF  GRACE.  147 

The  Way  of  the  Cross  the  Only  Way,  the 
Message  of  the  Cross  the  Only  Message  of 
Grace.  But  it  is  now  being  said  in  contrast  with  the 
former  issue,  that  the  child — especially  the  children 
of  "nice  homes,"  pretty  clothes  and  clean  lives  as  the 
world  counts  cleanness,  do  not  need  conversion;  that 
in  natural  birth  they  were  born  into  the  spiritual  king- 
dom, and  are  the  children  of  God ;  that  Christ's  demand 
for  a  new  heart  has  no  meaning  for  them ;  that  they  do 
not  need  the  cross,  must  not  even  be  told  of  the  awful 
tragedy  as  a  sacrifice  for  sin;  indeed,  that  they  are 
not  sinners  gone  astray  from  God  and  lost  without 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  This  view,  however,  is  con- 
trary to  all  history  with  its  trail  of  sin,  and  contrary 
to  all  Christian  experience  of  young  and  old  alike  who 
came  to  know  the  love  of  God,  passed  from  death  unto 
life,  from  darkness  into  light,  and  have  been  translated 
from  the  kingdom  of  Satan  into  the  kingdom  of  God's 
dear  Son. 

It  is  contrary,  furthermore,  to  the  word  of  God,  and 
goes  far  astray  from  the  teacher's  message  of  grace, 
speaking  other  words  than  God  has  bidden  him  speak, 
and  leaving  his  class  and  all  who  come  under  his  in- 
fluence in  danger  and  peril.  It  makes  the  cross  of  none 
effect,  counts  Christ's  atonement  for  sin  as  a  thing  out 
of  date,  sets  at  naught  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
in  which  one  becomes  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus — 
whether  child  of  tender  years  or  one  grown  gray  and 
hard  in  sin. 

If  we  speak  not  the  language  of  Scripture,  in  the 
meaning  and  spirit  of  Scripture  concerning  sin.  and 


148  THE  /SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

salvation,  then  we  have  no  word  worth  speaking ;  all  is 
darkness  and  death ;  the  teacher's  message  is  no  longer 
a  message  of  grace,  and  the  Sunday  school  loses  its 
purpose  and  throws  away  its  commission  to  the  world 
lost  in  sin.  The  Scripture,  however,  is  radiant  with 
light  and  rapturous  in  the  song  of  salvation.  It  is  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  glory  of 
the  cross  as  revealing  God's  love  for  a  lost  world.  The 
teacher  must  needs  go  to  the  cross  for  himself  if  he  is 
to  know  its  saving  power,  or  his  own  deep  need  of  its 
saving  efficacy.  As  a  messenger  of  grace  he  must 
know  the  ways  of  grace  in  his  own  heart,  else  he  can- 
not  discern  its  coming  in  the  hearts  of  others,  or  be 
able  like  Eli  with  Samuel  to  perceive  that  God  is  call- 
ing the  child.  An  experiential  message  is  the  most 
powerful  message,  also  the  most  precious. 

The  teacher  has  the  New  Testament  word  as  his  au- 
thoritative word,  and  his  message  is  a  message  of  no 
uncertain  sound.  "Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.''  "As  Moses  lifted 
up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son 
of  man  be  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  "For 
God  commendeth  his  love  toward  us  in  that  while  we 
were  yet  sinners  Christ  died  for  us."  "Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  These 
words  point  unerringly  the  way  of  savation,  but  they 
go  by  the  way  of  the  cross. 

Beyond  the  cross  is  the  empty  sepulchre ;  beyond  the 
empty  sepulchre  is  the  risen  Christ,  the  coronation,  the 
great  multitude  which  no  man  can  number,  with  palms 


TEE  MESSAGE  OF  GRACE.  149 

of  victory.  These  have  washed  their  robes  and  made 
them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  who  once  was 
slain ;  but  is  now  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  to  reign 
as  King  of  saints.  The  cross  is  his  sceptre  of  uni- 
versal empire,  and  his  dominion  shall  have  no  end. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  TEACHER  AND  HIS  DOCTRINES. 

DOCTRINAL  Character  in  the  Teacher.  This 
chapter  has  to  do  with  the  teacher  himself,  who 
he  is,  what  his  creed,  and  what  he  teaches.  His  char- 
acter and  worth  as  a  teacher  is  in  what  he  believes. 
His  doctrine  is  the  sum  and  substance  of  what  he 
teaches,  of  what  he  himself  has  learned  and  made  his 
own.  His  real  creed  is  not  the  doctrine  which  he  holds, 
but  rather  the  doctrine  which  holds  him — his  imperial 
and  imperative  credo. 

We  are  dealing  now  with  the  teacher's  own  inner 
self  and  inner  life,  his  doctrinal  convictions,  his  creedal 
character,  his  spirit  as  a  man  and  the  spirit  of  his 
teaching.  This  will  give  flavor  and  tone,  strength,  pur- 
pose and  living  energy  to  all  that  he  does.  It  is  the 
metal  in  the  blood,  the  iron  in  the  frame,  the  intangible 
something  which  makes  the  red  rose  red,  gives  fra- 
grance to  the  flower,  makes  the  oak  tree  oak  in  fibre 
and  frame,  in  foliage  and  fruitage. 

Have  we  ever  yet  given  sufficient  emphasis  to  creedal 
character  and  doctrinal  conviction  with  the  Sunday 
school  teacher?  This  is  of  vital  importance  even  for 
the  Christian  man  in  the  general  walks  of  life,  and 
much  more  for  the  teacher  in  the  church  school.  Far 
too  frequently  one  may  hear  it  said:    It  makes  little 

150 


TIIIJ  TEACHER'S  DOCTRINES.  151 

difference  about  doctrine  so  the  life  be  correct,  or  what 
one  believes  so  the  heart  be  right;  the  world  wants 
"deeds  and  not  creeds,"  with  a  general  cry  against 
dogma  and  doctrinal  teaching,  with  believing  little  in 
general  and  nothing  in  particular.  All  this  as  if  there 
were  no  connection  vital  and  decisive,  between  doctrine 
and  life,  between  what  one  is  and  what  one  does. 

As  a  man  thinketh  in  his  heart  so  is  he;  his  think- 
ing is  in  his  doctrine,  and  out  of  his  doctrine  comes 
the  manner  and  meaning  of  his  life  and  teaching.  If 
there  be  honesty  in  business  there  must  first  be  honesty 
in  character.  There  is  no  divorcement  between  doc- 
trine and  life,  as  cause  and  effect,  as  tree  and  fruit,  as 
fountain  and  outflow  to  the  valley.  There  can  be  no 
decree  of  divorce  between  creed  and  deed.  That  word 
spoken  so  long  ago  is  yet  vital  and  momentous :  "Take 
heed  unto  thyself,  and  unto  the  doctrine  (or  thy  teach- 
ing) ;  continue  in  them :  for  in  so  doing  thou  shalt 
save  thyself  and  them  that  hear  thee."  First,  himself, 
what  he  is  in  heart  and  life,  in  character,  creed  and 
conduct;  then  his  doctrine — what  he  believes  and  what 
he  teaches,  with  mighty  issues  dependent  on  his  teach- 
ing both  for  himself  and  others. 

Christ's  Call  for  Belief  in  Doctrine.  There 
are  those  who  speak  lightly  about  doctrine,  who  make 
much  ado  about  manner  and  method  in  teaching,  with 
secondary  concern,  possibly  no  concern  at  all  about  the 
substance  of  teaching,  whether  in  the  doctrine  the 
teacher  holds  as  his  own  or  in  what  he  gives  out  in 
his  teaching.  The  teacher  and  his  doctrine  as  a  sub- 
ject, is  basal,  and  is  one  of  the  most  vital  questions  in 


152  TEE  SCEOOL  OF  TEE  CEURCE. 

the  present  Sunday  school  situation.  It  fits  into  this 
volume  as  coming  almost  to  the  very  heart  of  its  burden 
and  purpose.  What  a  man  believes,  he  teaches,  and 
what  he  teaches  is  his  doctrine. 

Much  is  said  concerning  Christ's  call  to  service,  and 
rightly.  But  does  not  Christ  also  call  to  belief  in  doc- 
trine? Is  one's  belief  or  want  of  belief  of  no  concern 
to  Christ?  Is  there  no  connection  between  what  we 
believe  and  the  service  which  we  render  him  in  teach- 
ing and  otherwise  among  men?  We  have  not  given 
sufficient  emphasis  or  even  notice  to  Christ's  doctrinal 
earnestness,  which  manifested  itself  on  so  many  occa- 
sions and  always  as  an  element  of  power.  His  doc- 
trinal character  indeed  was  one  of  the  elements  of  his 
authority. 

Our  Lord  cherished  his  doctrine  as  being  his  own, 
and  of  himself,  but  also  as  anchored  back  in  the  au- 
thority of  his  Father,  and  commending  itself  to  the 
people  as  being  of  infinite  moment.  He  calls  men  now 
as  when  walking  the  earth,  not  only  to  salvation  and 
service,  but  also  to  belief — belief  in  himself  as  to  who 
he  is  and  belief  in  his  word.  "Believe  me,  that  I  am  in 
the  Father  and  the  Father  in  me;  else  believe  me  for 
the  very  work's  sake,"  was  the  appeal  often  on  his  lips, 
and  always  burning  as  a  flame  of  fire  in  his  life.  "My 
doctrine  is  not  mine,  but  his  that  sent  me,"  was  his 
challenge  to  men  everywhere  with  the  supreme  test 
of  its  conquering  power.  "If  any  man  will  do  his  will, 
he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine  whether  it  be  of  God." 
His  doctrinal  earnestness  was  no  less  a  passion  than 
his  passion  for  saving  the  lost  and  for  calling  sinners 


THE  TEACHER'S  DOCTRINES.  153 

to  repentance.  His  doctrine  made  him  the  teacher  that 
he  was,  and  he  taught  his  doctrine  as  of  supreme  and 
commanding  moment.  Unbelief  of  his  doctrine  shocked 
his  soul  and  made  him  marvel,  disbelief  was  painful, 
and  stirred  him  to  anguish  of  spirit. 

One  may  go  away  from  Christ  in  doctrine  or  senti- 
ment, as  really  as  in  service  and  life.  The  effect  is 
equally  disastrous,  sometimes  more  far-reaching  and 
more  deadly.  His  pathetic  and  searching  question, 
"Will  ye  also  go  away?"  applies  to  the  leaving  of  his 
doctrine  as  well  as  to  the  leaving  of  his  person  and 
service.  Christ  not  only  sought  the  salvation  of  men, 
but  also  sought  to  save  them  from  false  doctrine  and 
to  establish  them  in  the  things  which  he  taught.  With 
him  there  was  a  passion  for  right  teaching,  and  a  pas- 
sion against  wrong  teaching.  The  New  Testament 
writers  follow  him  in  this,  making  many  appeals  for 
right  doctrine  and  warning  us  lest  we  make  shipwreck 
of  our  faith,  or  bid  Godspeed  to  those  who  bear  false 
doctrine. 

This  was  the  constant  issue  which  Christ  made  with 
the  people,  or  the  issue  which  the  people  made  with 
him  when  teaching  on  earth.  Many  believed  on  him, 
believed  his  doctrine  and  followed  on  to  know  and 
serve.  But  many  believed  not.  With  some  he  himself 
was  the  turning  point,  with  others  his  doctrine  was  the 
repellent  force — some  saying  we  will  not  have  him, 
while  others  said,  we  will  not  have  what  he  teaches. 
The  young  man  worshiped  him,  but  refused  his  teach- 
ing, rejected  him  and  his  appeals,  went  away  from 


154  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Christ,  from  his  doctrine  and  his  service.     Christ  let 
him  go,  though  looking  after  him  with  a  look  of  love. 

His  Specific  Appeals  for  Belief.  This  concern 
for  doctrine  was  a  mighty  factor  in  our  Saviour's 
teaching,  marked  him  as  separate  from  other  teachers, 
and  gave  him  power  with  the  people.  Those  words  of 
his  as  being  all  his  own,  so  often  on  his  lips,  and  always 
with  such  tender  searching  power,  "Verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  you,"  were  the  expression  of  his  authority  in 
teaching,  were  his  emphasis  of  mighty  truth,  were  the 
signal  of  importance  and  imperial  command;  they  re- 
vealed the  earnestness  of  his  doctrinal  life  and  his  con- 
cern for  what  men  did  with  what  he  said.  On  two 
notable  occasions  he  made  special,  almost  pleading 
appeals  for  belief  of  his  doctrine — one  with  Thomas, 
the  other  with  the  disciples  in  a  group.  In  both  cases 
the  appeal  was  for  belief  in  himself,  in  doctrines  con- 
cerning himself  and  in  related  doctrines. 

"Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled ;  ye  believe  in  God, 
believe  also  in  me."  These  words  spoken  in  the  sacred 
hour  almost  under  the  shadow  of  the  cross,  were  his 
appeal  to  his  disciples.  Belief  in  God  is  well  nigh  uni- 
versal in  some  form.  Recognizing  their  belief  in  God 
as  the  basis  for  all  advance,  our  Lord  appealed  to  his 
disciples  for  the  larger  creed.  It  was  an  appeal  at  that 
sacred  hour  for  the  enlargement  of  their  belief  in  him, 
and  of  their  belief  in  doctrine — the  doctrine  of  his  re- 
lation to  the  Father,  his  doctrine  of  heart-comfort,  his 
doctrine  of  the  heavenly  home  and  the  many  mansions, 
the  doctrine  of  his  preparing  a  place  for  a  prepared 
people,  the  doctrine  of  his  coming  again  to  have  his 


TEE  TEACHER'S  DOCTRINES.  155 

people  with  him  where  he  is,  and  all  those  other  great 
doctrines  concerning  himself,  so  wonderfully  and  richly 
set  forth  in  this  fourteenth  chapter  of  John. 

He  appeals  to  this  belief  already  founded,  for  a 
larger  belief  that  shall  comprehend  other  great  and 
precious  truth.  This  chapter  is  called  the  comfort- 
chapter,  yet  is  marvelous  in  the  scope  and  richness  of 
its  doctrinal  statement.  Its  comfort  would  count  for 
nothing  but  for  the  doctrine  which  Christ  here  teaches, 
and  gives  to  those,  "who  by  him  do  believe  in  God, 
that  raised  him  up  from  the  dead,  and  gave  him  glory ; 
that  their  faith  and  hope  might  be  in  God." 

The  Case  Concerning  Thomas.  This  is  signifi- 
cant and  remarkable  as  a  case  in  point.  His  Lord 
dealt  with  him  in  his  disbelief  and  brought  him  to  a 
triumphant  faith.  The  morning  of  that  new  day 
brought  a  new  situation  with  Christ  and  his  disciples. 
The  wonderful  words  of  the  fourteenth  of  John  were 
fresh  in  their  minds,  but  apparently  had  lost  all  power 
to  hold  them  together  and  keep  them  strong.  As  the 
risen  Christ,  he  talked  with  the  frightened  women  and 
sent  them  away  to  say,  They  had  seen  the  Lord.  He 
found  two  disciples  going  away  to  Emmaus,  believing 
none  of  the  reports  and  going  into  hopelessness.  They 
returned  to  say,  They  had  seen  the  Lord,  he  had  talked 
with  them  in  the  wTay  and  set  their  hearts  burning.  He 
met  the  little  company  in  the  upper  chamber,  settled  it 
with  them  beyond  all  peradventure,  that  they  too  had 
seen  their  Lord  and  knew  he  was  risen  from  the  dead. 

But  Thomas — where  was  Thomas,  that  man  who 
had  always  been  so  true,  and  once  said  he  would  die 


156  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

with  him?  Possibly  he  saw  Jesus  die,  certainly  knew 
that  he  was  dead  and  buried,  and  now  vowed  he  would 
not  believe  him  alive  unless  he  should  see  him  for 
himself,  see  the  side  where  the  spear  went  in,  see  the 
hands  where  the  nails  went  through.  For  the  whole 
week  this  man,  once  so  strong  and  devoted,  went  faith- 
less, was  in  the  depths  and  bitterness  of  the  soul  with- 
out faith  and  without  hope.  But  Jesus  found  him, 
came  searching  and  found  the  faithless  man,  stooped 
to  his  demands,  submitted  to  his  tests,  and  made  an 
appeal  for  doctrinal  belief  the  pathos  and  power  of 
which  will  not  die  while  the  world  endures:  "Be  not 
faithless,  but  believing."  Thomas  answered:  "My 
Lord  and  my  God." 

All  unbelief  had  gone,  and  in  its  place  a  triumphant 
and  joyous  faith.  Jesus  had  won  another  victory  for 
his  doctrine,  this  time  a  larger  belief  in  himself  as  the 
risen  Christ,  belief  in  the  empty  sepulchre  as  the  con- 
quest over  death,  belief  in  the  doctrine  of  his  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead,  and  the  overmastering  doctrine  of 
his  own  essential  Deity  in  Lordship  and  Godhood. 

The  Teacher's  Creed  Must  be  an  Experiential 
Creed.  All  this  has  direct  and  powerful  bearing 
upon  the  Sunday  school  teacher  and  what  he  teaches, 
both  as  to  doctrinal  belief  and  doctrinal  teaching.  In 
a  genuine  and  even  commanding  sense  he  is  successor 
to  his  Lord  as  teacher,  and  is  to  teach  what  Jesus 
taught,  as  he  finds  it  in  the  Scriptures.  His  creed  must 
be  a  New  Testament  creed,  experiential  as  with 
Thomas,  being  his  own  in  personal  belief  and  convic- 
tion— a  creed  of  imperial  power. 


TEE  TEACEER'S  DOCTRINES.  157 

In  the  doctrinal  earnestness  of  our  Saviour  we  easily 
see  why  Paul  and  John,  and  even  Peter,  who  had  been 
with  him  and  caught  his  spirit,  should  ring  out  so 
clear  and  strong  for  doctrinal  fidelity,  doctrinal  in- 
tegrity, and  always  with  doctrinal  power;  that  every- 
where they  were  mighty  in  word,  and  by  their  doctrine 
became  mighty  in  deed.  Their  creed  made  them  men 
of  power.  Their  words  blaze  and  burn  like  altar  fires 
to  this  day,  and  have  wondrous  power  in  showing  the 
teacher  where  to  walk  and  what  to  teach.  These  men 
were  doctrinal  men,  sent  on  doctrinal  mission,  could 
say  even  as  their  Lord  had  said :  "My  doctrine  is  not 
mine,  but  his  that  sent  me.  If  any  man  will  do  his  will, 
he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine  whether  it  be  of  God." 

The  Sunday  school  teacher  has  a  similar  mission 
and  the  same  message.  He  is  to  speak  the  word  which 
he  has  from  his  Lord,  and  which  he  himself  has  ex- 
perienced in  his  own  heart.  He  is  a  teacher,  and  his 
doctrinal  curriculum  is  made  out  for  him  in  the  word 
of  God.  Throughout  its  pages  he  thinks  God's  thought 
after  him,  speaks  the  word  as  speaking  for  God,  and 
teaches  what  he  is  commanded  to  teach.  The  open 
heart  laid  on  the  open  Bible  will  draw  out  its  meaning, 
giving  richness  and  flavor  to  his  teaching,  if  only  his 
spirit  be  reverent  and  obedient  in  seeking  the  ways  of 
God.  Such  a  teacher  will  not  miss  very  far  the  mean- 
ing of  Scripture,  nor  go  far  astray  in  his  teaching, 
whether  in  spirit  or  method  or  in  the  substance  of  what 
he  teaches. 

The  New  Testament  His  Only  Source  of  Doc- 
trine.    This  does  not  set  aside  the  Old  Testament 


158  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

nor  discriminate  against  it  in  any  sense,  but  the  New 
is  the  flower  and  fruitage  of  the  Old,  the  only  source 
of  Christian  history  and  doctrine,  of  Christian  belief 
and  practice.  It  is  the  code  so  to  speak  of  the  church 
of  Christ — but  much  more  than  that.  Herein  we  learn 
of  him,  of  his  wish  and  will,  of  his  church,  its  nature, 
ordinances,  and  mission  in  the  world.  These  are  the 
things  to  enlist  the  teacher's  heart  as  his  doctrine  and 
to  hold  commanding  place  in  his  teaching.  The  church 
school  is  a  New  Testament  school,  and  its  teacher  pre- 
eminently a  New  Testament  teacher,  with  the  Old 
Testament  as  foundation  or  undergirding  of  all. 

His  teaching  is  the  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures 
with  their  history  and  doctine  as  related  to  the  salva- 
tion of  the  lost,  and  the  making  of  Christian  character. 
Out  of  this  storehouse  the  teacher  brings  his  treasures 
new  and  old;  speaking  its  words  he  speaks  with  au- 
thority. There  is  none  other  to  command  him  or  guide 
him,  nor  any  other  source  from  which  he  can  get  the 
word  and  message  of  eternal  life.  Every  man  must 
come  to  the  book  for  himself,  and  must  answer  to  God 
for  his  doctrine  and  teaching.  It  is  his  privilege  and 
duty,  especially  with  the  Sunday  school  teacher,  to 
make  out  his  own  creed  from  its  pages  and  formulate 
his  own  doctrinal  belief. 

This  is  his  duty,  as  giving  definiteness  to  his  doc- 
trinal conception,  directness  and  power  in  teaching;  his 
privilege,  because  no  one  can  do  this  for  him,  or  come 
between  him  and  his  knowing  the  truth  for  himself. 
For  the  teacher  or  others  who  will  speak  for  God,  there 
is  no  ex  cathedra  outside  the  Scriptures,  no  ex  cathedra 


THE  TEACHER'S  DOCTRINES.  159 

voice  concerning  the  Scriptures.  In  this  kingly  domain 
he  thinks  for  himself,  chooses  for  himself,  speaks  for 
himself;  he  deals  only  with  God  and  God's  word  as 
given  in  the  Scriptures.  This  royal  privilege  is  his, 
but  with  it  there  is  immense  personal  responsibility. 
Taking  the  Scriptures  as  his  own  supreme  and  suffi- 
cient rule  of  faith  and  life,  he  has  one  imperial  word 
that  must  guide  him  throughout,  namely,  "according 
to  the  Scriptures." 

That  is  the  one  touchstone,  the  one  decisive  word  for 
every  doctrine,  the  one  universal  standard  for  all  be- 
lief and  practice — "sound  words  according  to  the 
gospel."  This  brings  the  teacher  face  to  face  with  his 
only  authority,  the  supreme  authority  of  Christ  as  ex- 
pressed in  his  word,  and  demands  loyalty  to  Christ  as 
Sovereign  and  to  the  New  Testament  as  the  expression 
of  his  Sovereignty.  Loyalty  is  composite — love  and 
law — love  doing  its  best  always  for  the  lawgiver  and 
for  the  glory  of  his  kingdom. 

Two  Words  Set  as  Signals  in  the  Way.  We 
venture  to  suggest  two  pilot  words  of  significance  and 
merit  for  those  who  wish  to  formulate  their  faith ;  ( i ) 
concerning  the  Scriptures,  (2)  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures. These  two  words,  concerning  and  according  to, 
are  basal  for  the  Sunday  school  teacher,  and  determine 
what  he  should  hold  as  doctrine  and  what  he  should 
teach.  It  is  not  sufficient  in  this  day  to  say  "the  Bible 
is  our  creed,"  for  at  once  we  confront  the  question  as 
to  what  we  believe  concerning  the  Bible,  and  the  settle- 
ment of  this  last  question  largely  determines  our  belief 
as  to  many  of  the  great  doctrines;  settles  practically 


160  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

what  we  believe  about  God,  Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit, 
about  sin,  the  atonement  through  the  cross,  and  our 
salvation  through  faith;  settles  also  what  we  believe 
about  the  church,  its  nature,  ordinances,  purpose  and 
mission,  what  we  believe  about  man's  future  as  to  the 
destiny  of  the  righteous  and  of  the  wicked. 

All  these  doctrines  are  settled  by  the  Scriptures,  and 
our  belief  in  them  is  determined  by  what  we  believe 
concerning  the  Scripture.  Simon  Peter  believed  the 
Scriptures  came  not  by  the  will  of  man,  but  by  the 
more  sure  word  of  prophecy  and  through  holy  men 
of  old  speaking  for  God  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Paul  believed  that  sin  was  exceeding 
sinful,  that  Christ  died  on  the  cross  in  our  stead  and 
for  our  sin,  that  he  was  buried  and  arose  again,  be- 
lieved all  this  according  to  the  Scriptures.  What  the 
Scriptures  say,  is  the  end  of  controversy,  if  we  hold 
them  in  all  faithfulness  and  loyalty  of  purpose,  to  be 
our  supreme  standard  of  Christian  belief  and  practice. 

This  is  not  said  simply  to  exalt  the  book.  No  one 
will  "worship  a  book,"  not  even  the  Bible.  But  the 
Bible  as  the  one  book  and  only  source  of  doctrine  holds 
the  authoritative  word  for  those  who  would  serve  God 
and  walk  in  his  ways.  Herein  is  written  for  our  instruc- 
tion what  God  would  have  us  do,  his  ordinances  and 
laws,  his  statutes  and  commandments.  Herein  is  re- 
vealed his  salvation  through  the  death  of  his  Son,  the 
marvelous  work  of  grace  which  is  wrought  in  the  heart 
through  his  Spirit,  his  will  and  wish  concerning  our 
character  and  life  among  men.  Without  this  the  teacher 
has  no  other  guide,  and  walks  in  the  dark  without  God 


THE  TEACHER'S  DOCTRINES.  161 

and  without  hope.  With  this  he  walks  with  God  in  the 
sunlight  of  his  countenance,  shining  brighter  and 
brighter  to  the  perfect  day — as  the  day  of  redemption 
and  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  them  that  love  him. 

Evangelical  in  Word,  Evangelistic  in  Spirit 
and  Purpose.  The  teacher's  doctrine  as  herein  con- 
templated, is  not  dead  doctrine,  but  vital  and  powerful, 
experiential  and  evangelistic.  It  is  true,  of  course,  that 
no  one  is  saved  by  a  creed  or  belief  of  a  doctrine,  but 
when  one  is  saved  through  an  experience  of  grace,  he 
forthwith  has  a  creed  of  his  own,  gracious,  command- 
ing and  of  far-reaching  power.  He  will  meet  all  the 
world  like  the  man  whose  eyes  Jesus  opened  with  the 
invincible  verdict:  "One  thing  I  know,  that  whereas 
I  was  blind  now  I  see."  "Herein  is  a  marvelous  thing, 
that  ye  know  not  whence  he  is,  and  yet  he  hath  opened 
mine  eyes."  And  henceforth  that  becomes  his  creed 
as  to  Christ  in  his  saving  power,  as  to  Christian  experi- 
ence, as  to  personal  character  and  life.  It  is  the  end  of 
all  controversy  with  him  so  far  as  these  things  are  con- 
cerned. 

No  one  is  saved,  as  is  frequently  said,  through  faith 
in  doctrine.  Belief  in  doctrine  cannot  take  away  the 
guilt  of  sin,  or  make  one  a  new  creature  in  Christ 
Jesus.  But  it  is  a  tremendous  doctrine,  clearly  revealed 
in  the  Scriptures,  also  strong  and  powerful  in  many, 
many  hearts  as  a  personal  experience  of  God's  won- 
drous grace,  that  one  is  saved  through  personal  faith 
in  Christ  as  a  personal  Saviour,  that  God  is  just  in 
justifying  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus,  that  the  love 
of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy 
11 


1G2  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Spirit  which  he  has  given  unto  us,  that  we  are  justified 
by  faith,  have  peace  with  God,  and  "access  by  faith 
into  this  grace  wherein  we  stand,  and  rejoice  in  hope 
of  the  glory  of  God."  This  is  the  doctrine  of  salvation. 
As  doctrines  these  things  make  the  teacher  evan- 
gelical in  words  and  distinguish  him  as  a  teacher  of 
the  gospel;  they  make  him  evangelistic  in  spirit,  and 
give  him  converting  power  in  the  class,  "saving  both 
himself  and  them  that  hear"  him.  Evangelical  is  the 
stove  polished  to  brightness,  evangelistic  is  the  stove 
heated  to  red  heat.  Both  speak  for  themselves  and 
for  the  glory  of  God.  They  never  fail  to  awaken  the 
rapturous  song  of  redeeming  love.  They  make  for 
strength  and  beauty,  for  might  and  conquering  power. 
They  make  the  church  evangelical  in  doctrine,  and  its 
school  evangelistic  as  its  teaching  agency  for  saving 
the  lost  and  extending  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  AND  OTHER  SCHOOLS. 

THE  Sunday  School  in  Our  Educational 
System.  The  school  as  an  educational  institu- 
tion, deals  for  the  most  part  with  those  who  are  in 
the  years  of  growth.  It  is  designed  for  their  teaching 
and  training,  their  development  and  equipment  for  the 
walks  and  trades  of  life.  There  are  schools  and 
schools,  many  and  almost  without  number.  The  edu- 
cational system  of  the  country  is  of  colossal  propor- 
tions, viewed  from  almost  any  standpoint.  No  enu- 
meration, however,  or  survey  is  necessary  to  make 
good  the  statement.  We  would  omit  none,  but  classify 
all,  giving  them  the  place  of  merit  and  worth  which 
they  severally  deserve. 

Taken  in  the  aggregate  and  considered  as  a  system 
these  schools  represent  the  educational  forces  of  the 
nation.  They  make  or  mar  the  national  life,  have  their 
fruitage  in  the  character  of  men  and  women,  and  in 
their  product  of  citizens  and  citizenship.  The  Sunday 
school  holds  no  secondary  place  in  this  vast  educational 
system,  and  has  come  to  commanding  rank  as  a  civic 
force  in  the  nation's  life.  In  its  work  and  influence 
the  Sunday  school  is  a  dynamic  among  the  other 
schools.  Its  distinctive  character  and  elements  of 
power   have   been    recited   throughout   the    foregoing 

163 


164  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

pages;  it  is  coming  more  and  more  to  be  classed  as  a 
school;  more  and  more  also  its  efficiency  is  being  in- 
creased and  its  power  greatly  augmented  for  fulfilling 
its  mission  and  realizing  its  purpose  and  aim.  In- 
cluding all  denominations,  the  Sunday  school  numbers 
hundreds  of  thousands,  widely  distributed  throughout 
the  territory  of  the  entire  country.  Its  enrollment 
of  officers,  teachers  and  pupils  number  largely  into 
the  millions,  many  millions,  in  country  homes  and 
churches,  in  village  and  hamlet,  in  towns  and  cities, 
a  mighty  army  for  the  nation's  welfare,  more  power- 
ful than  navy  and  mortar  guns. 

A  nation's  safety  is  both  found  and  founded  some- 
what in  its  fortification  and  bulwarks  of  defense,  but 
far  more  in  the  individual  character  of  its  citizens,  in 
the  homes  of  its  people,  and  in  a  citizenship  patriotic, 
law  abiding  and  true  to  the  principles  of  Bible  right- 
eousness and  good  government.  These  qualities  go 
together,  and  are  the  sure  mark  of  a  nation's  strength 
and  prosperity.  Their  absence  leaves  a  people  ex- 
posed to  foes  without,  and  even  greater  foes  within. 
The  rise  and  fall  of  empires  can  be  traced  along  this 
trail,  and  history  will  repeat  itself  as  the  years  come 
and  go.  Along  this  line,  too,  lies  the  opportunity  for 
wisdom  on  the  part  of  the  people,  while  it  demands 
statecraft  of  the  highest  and  noblest  type. 

The  German  Ideal  of  Citizenship.  These 
things  are  true  concerning  all  nations  and  every  people, 
but  especially  true  of  the  great  republic  founded  on  the 
democratic  principle  of  "a  government  of  all  the  people, 
by  the  people  and  for  the  people."    In  that  regard  we 


AND  OTHER  SCHOOLS.  165 

boast  of  excelling  all  other  countries,  yet  the  ideal  of 
citizenship  with  Germany  commands  the  attention  and 
challenges  the  admiration  of  all  the  world.  That  ideal 
is  threefold  in  character,  namely,  "Godfearing,  patri- 
otic, self-supporting."  These  are  held  in  this  order 
and  maintained  inseparably  connected  with  the  educa- 
tional system  and  aim  of  the  empire.  The  schools  of 
that  great  nation,  whether  small  or  great,  whether  her 
public  schools  or  her  great  universities,  are  conducted 
with  the  purpose  of  making  citizens  who  shall  fear 
God,  care  for  their  country,  and  be  able  to  provide  for 
themselves. 

The  furthest  removed  from  the  German  ideal  of 
educational  training,  and  the  furthest  removed  also 
from  the  Sunday  school,  is  that  school  or  system  of 
schools  in  which  God  is  not  honored  or  recognized  or 
known.  A  godless  school,  to  the  full  extent  of  its  in- 
fluence, is  a  curse  to  any  nation,  blight  and  death  to 
all  its  interests  of  whatever  kind.  Solomon  knew  from 
experience,  and  all  history  has  confirmed  his  judg- 
ment, that  "righteousness  exalteth  a  nation,  but  sin  is 
a  reproach  to  any  people,"  the  undoing  first  in  indi- 
vidual life,  then  in  the  homes,  and  finally  in  national 
affairs  and  destiny.  Education,  even  American  educa- 
tion per  se  does  not  guarantee  righteousness,  and  in 
itself  does  not  promise  the  highest  and  noblest  means 
and  ends.  There  is  no  intention  to  disparage  our  great 
educational  system  or  its  standards,  but  even  its  high- 
est standards  and  its  best  curriculum  leave  out  those 
things  which  are  intended  to  make  for  righteousness 
and  the  God- fearing  character  and  life. 


Igg  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

The  American  schools  in  themselves  considered  do 
not  promise  the  German  ideal  of  education  and  citizen- 
ship, especially  those  schools  under  the  control  and 
management  of  state  or  municipality.  We  may  well 
desire  and  aim  for  the  German  ideal,  but  the  German 
method  for  its  attainment  is  un-American,  fundament- 
ally wrong  and  at  variance  with  our  principles  of 
government.  Germany,  as  a  monarchy,  has  the  union 
of  church  and  state,  and  compels  "the  teaching  of  re- 
ligion in  its  schools."  This  cannot  be  done  with  Amer- 
ican separation  of  church  from  state  patronage  and 
supervision. 

Nor  would  we  surrender  the  great  principle  of  a 
free  church  in  a  free  commonwealth,  for  a  temporary 
gain,  however  great,  which  it  might  seem  to  promise. 
But  this  principle  and  condition  in  our  government 
rule  the  Bible  out  of  the  public  schools,  put  the  Bible 
and  all  religious  instruction  outside  the  curriculum  and 
service  of  State  Universities  and  other  schools.  If 
there  be  exceptions,  I  am  glad  to  record  them,  but  they 
are  so  rare  as  to  give  emphasis  to  the  general  rule. 

Furthermore,  in  colleges  and  universities  there  is 
small  place  for  religious  teaching  and  training,  and  the 
problem  of  the  religious  in  education  is  becoming  more 
difficult,  according  to  many  statements  recently  made 
by  leading  university  educators.  "The  building  of 
character  is  the  real  aim  of  the  school,"  say  the  great 
educational  authorities,  and  yet  the  chief  and  mightiest 
factors  in  character-building  are  circumscribed,  put 
under  the  ban,  or  eliminated  altogether — sometimes 
by  one  process,  sometimes  by  another. 


A  \l>  OTHER  SCHOOLS'.  167 

Character  without  religion  or  the  religious  principle 
and  culture,  is  largely  a  character  without  fundamental 
moral  sense  and  purpose.  The  man  who  does  not  re- 
gard God,  who  does  not  get  his  moral  sense  and 
standard  outside  himself,  and  from  the  highest  source, 
will  not  for  any  long  time  respect  his  fellowman  or 
the  laws  which  society  makes  for  the  government  of 
society.  Disregard  and  disobedience  of  huma^i  law  is 
not  far  removed  from  disregard  of  divine  law.  Break- 
ing with  divine  authority  will  follow  quickly  upon 
breaking  with  human  authority. 

Not  Quite  so  Bad  as  it  All  Seems.  This  is  a 
condition,  and  not  a  theory.  There  are  many  offsets, 
however,  to  these  shades  and  shadows,  these  signs  of 
discouragement  and  danger  in  our  educational  system. 
There  are  exceptions,  with  signs  appearing  here  and 
there  for  betterment  in  many  of  the  centers  of  learn- 
ing. We  gladly  recognize  these  exceptions  with  their 
modifying  elements  wherever  the  circumstances  require 
or  even  justify.  I  would  not  be  unjust  to  any  of  our 
institutions  of  learning,  or  even  seem  to  overstate  the 
condition  as  to  the  place  and  influence  of  religious 
education  in  their  curriculum.  They  themselves  have 
given  out  the  words  concerning  themselves,  barring 
such  exceptions  here  and  there  which  make  for  a  better 
situation. 

The  most  powerful  source  of  encouragement,  the 
brightest  silver  lining  to  the  cloud,  is  the  fact  every- 
where manifest,  that  in  nearly  all  of  these  schools  there 
are  Godly  men  and  women  as  teachers,  whose  lives  and 
influence  make  for  the  best  in  character  and  moral 


168  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

training,  and  who  themselves  are  more  powerful  than 
any  curriculum.  Then,  too,  in  the  student  body  there 
are  many  who  love  God,  honor  and  serve  him  in  sin- 
cerity, often  move  in  organized  effort  to  influence  their 
fellow  students,  to  win  them  for  Christ  and  his  service. 
We  gladly  bear  testimony  to  whatever  is  done  by  these 
noble  young  men  and  women,  and  bid  them  Godspeed 
in  their  heavenly  mission. 

But  after  all  this  is  said,  and  possibly  even  more  that 
should  be  said  as  modifying  the  condition,  yet  it  re- 
mains beyond  dispute  that  there  is  a  grave  deficit  in 
our  educational  system  as  such,  and  that  our  secular 
schools  do  not  have  as  one  of  their  first  aims  what  is 
the  first  item  in  the  German  ideal,  namely,  God-fearing 
in  character  and  life.  Whatever  may  be  done  toward 
cultivating  the  patriotic  spirit  and  the  self-supporting 
character,  but  little  is  done  for  laying  the  foundation 
for  permanent  righteousness  in  the  nation's  life.  But 
what  shall  be  done  with  the  deficiency?  To  close  our 
eyes  to  it  will  do  no  good.  To  recognize  it  will  not 
mend,  but  opens  the  way  for  mending. 

This  weak  place  in  our  educational  system  surely 
makes  a  weak  place  in  national  character  and  life,  and 
leaves  the  home  and  the  individual  character  much  im- 
paired. Our  system  will  give  education  without  the 
moral  sense,  will  give  educated  men  and  women  who 
are  not  God-fearing,  and  homes  where  God's  name  is 
not  written,  and  where  his  glory  does  not  dwell.  Any 
discussion  here  of  its  cause  and  cure,  of  its  manifest 
evil  and  baneful  influence,  would  take  us  too  far  afield 
from  the  present  purpose. 


AND  OTHER  SCHOOLS.  169 

Naming  a  Trio  of  Christian  Forces.  There  are 
three  distinct  institutions,  however,  which  make  not 
only  "for  building  character,"  but  for  building  Chris- 
tian character.  These  three  are  the  Christian  home, 
the  schools  under  Christian  influence  and  management, 
sometimes  with  private  ownership,  but  for  the  most 
part  with  denominational  government,  and  the  Sunday 
school  or  the  church  with  its  school  of  pre-eminent 
place  and  purpose.  Only  this  last  is  the  subject  for 
discussion  here,  yet  it  cannot  be  considered  fully  if 
taken  apart  from  the  other  two.  The  three  are  a  trio 
of  Christian  forces  for  Christian  character  building, 
are  allies  working  toward  the  same  end,  and  can  be 
best  understood  as  they  are  considered  together  and  in 
their  co-operative  influence. 

No  one  can  ever  estimate  what  these  three  forces 
have  done  in  behalf  of  the  commonwealth  or  as  mighty 
factors  and  civic  forces  in  the  national  character,  life 
and  welfare.  And  it  may  be  further  remarked  as  re- 
lieving the  deficiency  in  the  educational  system  and 
making  more  hopeful  the  educational  situation,  the 
Sunday  school  and  the  secular  schools  are  friendly, 
supplemental  and  co-operative — certainly  for  the  most 
part  and  with  no  points  of  hostility. 

Indeed,  working  in  the  system  as  a  whole  they 
largely  overlap  in  teachers  and  pupils,  the  secular 
school  being  in  the  church  school  on  Sunday,  and  the 
Sunday  school  being  in  the  secular  school  for  the  week 
day  sessions.  In  each  case  there  is  teaching  and  learn- 
ing, with  each  holding  to  its  own  line  of  instruction  in 
subject  and  method,  with  genuine  exchange  of  products 


170  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

and  conspiring  to  the  one  ideal  of  character  bui/ding. 
They  work  together  for  development  and  enrichment, 
adornment  and  equipment  in  training  for  citizenship 
and  service  in  the  many  walks  of  life.  From  this  co- 
operation and  composite  result  come  the  best  fruitage 
our  educational  system  yields  for  individual  character, 
for  the  home,  for  society,  and  for  the  nation  at  large. 

Christian  character,  it  must  be  kept  in  mind,  is  more 
than  educated  character,  more  than  even  religious  char- 
acter, and  in  the  finished  product  is  the  noblest  type  of 
manhood  among  men.  It  is  the  Christ-likeness  and 
the  God-like,  reproduced  in  men  and  shining  out  as  the 
glory  of  their  life. 

Its  Chief  Mark  of  Distinction.  While  bearing 
so  much  in  common  with  other  schools,  the  Sunday 
school  is  yet  absolutely  distinct,  having  its  own  sphere 
of  work,  requiring  methods  peculiar  and  suitable  to 
itself,  holding  itself  to  the  one  distinct  line  of  Bible 
study  and  instruction,  demanding  its  own  purpose  to 
teach  the  Scriptures,  with  its  aim  to  save  the  lost, 
winning  them  to  Christ  and  training  them  for  his  serv- 
ice. The  other  schools  may  do  these  things  as  side  lines 
and  incidentally,  but  it  is  the  chief  business  and  main 
task  of  the  Sunday  school. 

It  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  church  school,  is 
charged  with  the  church  purpose  and  intrusted  with 
the  furtherance  of  its  mission.  It  is  not  only  Christian 
in  purpose,  spirit  and  influence,  but  it  is  Christ's  school, 
especially  commissioned  for  his  honor  and  glory,  a 
propaganda  of  New  Testament  principles  as  he  gave 
them  to  us  when  he  walked  among  men.    As  an  agency 


1  \Jt  OTHER  SCHOOLS.  171 

in  his  church  and  under  its  management,  inspired  with 
his  spirit  and  mission,  it  is  his  method  for  perpetuating 
himself  as  teacher,  for  keeping  his  doctrines  fresh  and 
effective  for  the  betterment  of  men. 

The  Sunday  school,  therefore,  cannot  take  the  place 
of  other  schools,  nor  other  schools  with  their  methods 
be  substituted  for  the  Sunday  school.  There  is  noth- 
ing to  provoke  rivalry  between  them,  no  room  or  occa- 
sion for  adverse  comparison.  They  should  work  to- 
gether for  the  highest  ideal  in  education  and  the  noblest 
endeavor  in  human  achievements.  The  school  of  music 
has  no  conflict  with  the  school  of  oratory,  nor  the 
school  of  sculpture  with  the  school  of  painting.  Each 
works  its  own  material,  its  own  designs  and  aims,  its 
own  spirit  and  method,  and  yet  both  move  in  the  one 
general  aim  for  the  best  and  highest  in  art. 

The  recognition  of  these  simple  facts  and  principles 
would  go  far  toward  making  and  magnifying  a  right 
policy  between  the  Sunday  school  and  other  schools, 
and  would  give  them  their  respective  places  of  might 
and  power  in  the  educational  system  of  the  country. 

Improvement  of  its  Own  Methods  and  Stand- 
ards. There  is  no  need  nor  is  it  wise  to  force  the 
Sunday  school  into  the  methods  and  ways  of  the  week- 
day school.  The  conditions  in  each  are  radically  and 
essentially  different,  and  each  will  work  better  in  its 
own  harness.  This  is  fundamental,  and  needs  earnest 
consideration  at  this  time.  Great  improvements  are 
being  made  in  secular  education,  but  the  best  approved 
methods  are  still  comparatively  new,  and  yet  in  the 
experimental  stage.    Why  should  the  methods  be  forced 


172  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

on  the  Sunday  school,  and  the  Sunday  school  be  forced 
away  from  its  base,  until  these  methods  shall  at  least 
be  tried  and  wisdom  be  justified  of  her  children? 

In  a  Sunday  school  conference  of  leaders,  a  learned 
paper  was  presented  which  advocated  for  the  Sunday 
school,  a  method  not  far  short  of  University  Extension 
Course.  The  paper  had  excellence,  and  was  received 
with  favor.  But  some  one  suggested  that  in  the  Sun- 
day school  we  do  not  have  the  university  teacher  or 
pupil,  the  university  method,  subject  of  study,  or  pur- 
pose in  work.  This  makes  the  radical  difference,  and 
demands  a  different  course  of  procedure. 

There  is  need  manifestly  for  improvement  in  Sun- 
day school  methods,  and  improvements  are  being  made, 
in  some  sections  quite  rapidly  and  in  a  marked  way. 
But  a  thing  is  not  better  except  as  it  is  better  fitted  for 
doing  the  work  it  is  set  to  do.  Changes  in  church 
school  methods  must  keep  in  mind  its  distinctive  char- 
acter and  work,  purpose  and  aim.  Its  improvements 
must  make  it  more  effective  in  the  study  and  teaching 
of  the  word  of  God  as  its  first  and  distinct  task.  We 
must  keep  in  mind  the  wide  range  of  its  pupils  in  age, 
social  condition  and  other  varied  differences;  must 
never  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  its  first  great  aim  is 
the  saving  of  the  lost,  then  the  making  of  their  salva- 
tion the  basis  for  Christian  character  and  culture  in  all 
those  things  which  beautify  and  bless  society.  There 
must  be  no  departure  from  these  fundamental  distinc- 
tions of  the  school  in  the  church  that  distinguish  it 
from  other  schools. 

That  one  is  specialist  in  secular  schools  does  not 


AND  OTHER  SCHOOLS.  173 

mean  that  he  is  best  suited,  however  sincere  and  earnest 
his  sympathy,  to  outline  methods  and  courses  of  study 
for  the  Sunday  school.  His  very  training  and  service 
in  the  one  may  be  adverse  to  high  efficiency  in  the  other. 
The  judgment  of  experienced  and  successful  pastors 
should  count  for  more.  They  know  the  ways  and  ad- 
vantages of  the  other  schools,  but  also  know  what  the 
Sunday  school  is  to  be,  and  what  its  mission  and  serv- 
ice as  a  church  school.  It  is  a  matter  of  common  ob- 
servation that  successful  teachers  in  the  secular  school 
do  not  always  succeed  well  in  the  Sunday  school.  The 
methods  used  in  the  one  do  not  always  suit  in  the 
other;  the  course  of  study  and  its  teaching  are  differ- 
ent, with  different  discipline,  spirit,  purpose  and  aim. 
There  should  be  no  adverse  criticism,  but  comparative 
study  of  both,  with  each  holding  to  its  own  sphere  and 
work. 

Requiring  its  One  Text-book.  The  Sunday 
school  has  great  educational  value,  but  even  that  has 
its  specific  line,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  next  chapter. 
That  will  come  in  fullness  and  richness  only  as  we 
hold  the  school  itself,  in  all  its  changing  forms  of 
method  in  class  and  class-work,  in  rules  and  regula- 
tions, to  its  one  great,  glorious  purpose  of  serving  as 
a  church  school — a  church  school  to  study  the  Bible  as 
its  one  text-book,  with  Bible  purpose  and  spirit.  What- 
ever there  be  of  departure  from  this  will  work  toward 
weakness,  inefficiency  and  failure  for  this  school,  and 
remove  it  from  its  place  of  power  and  usefulness  in  the 
educational  system. 

The  old  story  of  the  shoemaker  and  his  last  is  in 


174  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

point  here,  homely,  but  timely  and  instructive.  He 
who  makes  shoes  had  better  stick  to  his  last,  else  there 
will  be  no  shoes.  We  can  teach  religious  principles, 
but  not  religion,  for  religion  is  of  one's  own  self  and 
of  the  heart  in  its  outgo  toward  God  in  worship  and 
service.  There  can  be  no  teaching  religious  principles 
except  in  the  study  and  teaching  of  the  word  of  God. 
For  this  reason  there  is  no  room  in  the  curriculum  of 
the  Sunday  school  for  other  than  Bible  studies,  how- 
ever worthy  and  important  the  other  subjects  be  in 
themselves. 

This  statement  is  justified  by  every  experiment  that 
has  been  made,  and  only  recites  what  has  already  taken 
place  wherever  the  experiment  has  been  made.  Turn- 
ing from  the  main  course  you  lose  the  main  things, 
and  the  loss  is  greater  and  more  far-reaching  in  its 
effects  and  influence  than  we  are  accustomed  to  think. 
Sunday  is  the  golden  day  in  the  nation's  life.  The 
Sunday  school  is  the  crown  in  our  school  system ;  that 
half  hour  of  Bible  study  and  teaching  is  the  brightest 
spot  and  most  powerful  single  factor  in  the  whole 
educational  life.  Think  what  will  be  going  on  through- 
out the  country  next  Sunday,  and  the  Sunday  follow- 
ing, and  the  succeeding  Sundays  throughout  the  year, 
and  then  throughout  all  the  years,  in  the  thousands, 
and  hundreds  of  thousands  Sunday  schools — the  music 
and  prayer  and  study  of  God's  word. 

It  awakens  thoughts  to  gladness  and  inspires  hope 
for  the  nation's  life  and  peace,  prosperity  and  power, 
out  of  all  comparison  with  Mr.  Carnegie's  princely  gift 
to  the  Peace  Fund,  or  all  the  elaborate  and  costly  prepa- 


AND  OTHER  SCHOOLS.  175 

rations  of  defense  as  a  preparation  for  war  or  a  de- 
mand for  peace.  One  cares  little  for  the  inscription  on 
the  nation's  coin,  counting  it  worthy  or  worthless,  but 
the  mighty  words,  In  God  we  Trust,  engraved  in  the 
national  character  and  made  potent  in  the  national  life, 
will  be  for  blessing  and  honor  among  our  people,  and 
the  safe-guarding  of  American  institutions. 

Things  Which  Give  it  Efficiency.  As  an  edu- 
cational force  and  factor  among  the  other  schools,  the 
Sunday  school  has  two  advantages  which  may  be 
named  here.  The  first  is  the  student  body  with  the 
cradle  roll  at  the  bottom  and  the  home  department  at 
the  top,  with  all  ages  and  conditions  in  vast  numbers 
between,  all  engaged  in  the  one  study  and  working  to 
the  one  great  purpose.  This  makes  an  impression  for 
God,  gives  instruction  in  his  word  and  ways,  creates  a 
spirit  of  reverence,  service  and  worship.  It  takes  the 
child  prior  to  school  age  when  the  young  life  is  fresh- 
est with  the  mind  and  heart  susceptible  to  hallowed  in- 
fluences. It  also  takes  those  past  the  school  age  and 
beyond  the  school  period,  who  come  in  to  give  and  to 
get.  These  are  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the  nation's  life, 
men  and  women  from  other  schools,  from  the  walks 
and  trades  of  life,  from  the  learned  professions,  from 
business  cares,  success  and  failure.  All  these  become 
pupils  in  the  school  of  the  church  which  stands  for 
God's  work  among  men.  Then,  too,  there  are  the  al- 
most countless  number  of  boys  and  girls,  young  men 
and  young  women  who  soon  shall  come  themselves  to 
be  directing  forces  in  society,  in  the  walks  of  com- 


176  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

merce,  and  in  the  administration  of  governmental 
affairs. 

In  addition  to  this  student  body  there  is  another  ad- 
vantage. The  Sunday  school,  while  being  a  school  and 
doing  the  work  of  teaching  and  learning,  is  much  more 
than  a  school.  That  much  more  than  a  school  makes  it 
distinctive,  is  its  chief  glory  and  power,  gives  tone  and 
effectiveness  to  its  teaching,  makes  it  at  once  a  service 
for  worship,  a  church  agency  for  working  out  its  mis- 
sion and  commission  among  men.  In  the  service  of 
song  and  worship  the  heart  and  mind  are  prepared  like 
soil  for  the  seed,  made  at  once  pliant  and  absorbent. 

The  song  and  singing,  the  sacred  environment  in 
the  school  contribute  much,  far  more  than  we  suppose, 
giving  the  spiritual  atmosphere  such  as  make  beauty 
and  fragrance  in  the  flower.  The  Sunday  school  need 
not  be  ambitious  to  do  the  work  of  other  schools  or 
walk  in  their  ways,  nor  be  envious  of  what  they  have 
or  do,  however  desirable  or  commanding  their  record 
may  be.  It  should  walk  humbly,  and  not  boastfully, 
yet  with  confidence  and  buoyancy,  even  joyously  in  its 
glorious  mission,  singing  as  it  goes  till  its  song  girdles 
the  earth,  feeling  sure  that  it  will  serve  best  in  doing 
what  it  was  set  to  do. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  PROPAGANDA  OF  NEW  TESTAMENT  PRINCIPLES. 

THE  Holy  Scriptures  as  One.  Dissemination 
of  Bible  truth,  the  extension  of  Scripture  knowl- 
edge, is  a  universal  need  and  of  infinite  moment.  The 
Sunday  school  is  charged  with  this  specific  mission, 
has  this  unique  curriculum,  and  as  the  church  school  it 
holds  exceptional  rank  among  the  forces  which  make 
for  education.  As  a  school  among  schools  it  is  dis- 
tinctively a  propaganda  of  New  Testament  principles, 
effective  and  powerful.  "The  teachers  shall  shine  as 
the  brightness  of  the  firmament;  and  they  that  turn 
many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever." 

This  primacy  of  instruction  for  making  wise,  this 
pre-eminence  given  teachers  by  the  prophet  of  God  in 
the  olden  time,  has  added  significance  for  the  present, 
and  still  larger  and  more  glorious  outlook  for  the 
future.  Teachers  meant  then,  and  primarily  must  mean 
now,  the  teachers  of  God's  word,  those  who  dissemi- 
nate its  principles  and  precepts,  as  "the  Scriptures 
which  are  able  to  make  wise  unto  salvation  through 
faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  They  think  God's 
thought  after  him,  walk  in  the  ways  of  his  revelation, 
teach  the  doctrine  he  bids  them  teach,  concerning  him- 
self and  his  kingdom  among  men. 

From  the  Sunday  school  as  a  progagating  agency 
13  177 


178  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

and  distributing  center,  the  word  of  the  Lord  goes 
forth,  as  seed  sown  broadcast,  with  nearly  thirty 
million  to  tell  its  story  week  after  week  and  year  after 
year.  "As  the  earth  bringeth  forth  her  bud,  and  as 
the  garden  causes  the  things  that  are  sown  in  it  to 
spring  forth ;  so  the  Lord  God  will  cause  righteousness 
and  praise  to  spring  forth  before  all  nations" — as  the 
harvest  gathering  from  his  word,  whether  the  Old 
Testament  or  the  New.  It  shall  not  return  to  him 
void,  but  like  the  rain  and  the  snow  which  cometh 
down  from  heaven,  it  shall  accomplish  that  which  he 
pleases,  and  shall  prosper  in  the  thing  whereto  he 
sent  it. 

"The  Scriptures  cannot  be  broken."  There  is  unity 
throughout  from  Genesis  to  Revelation,  continuity  of 
unfolding  thought  and  purpose  in  the  Bible  as  the  word 
of  God.  During  the  centuries  of  its  making,  there  was 
frequent  change  of  writers,  of  specific  subjects  and 
shifting  history,  but  never  a  change  of  author  or  author- 
ship, of  central  and  basal  thought,  of  spirit  and  pur- 
pose. "No  prophecy  ever  came  by  the  will  of  man,  but 
men  spoke  from  God,  being  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit." 
"The  New  is  in  the  Old  concealed; 
The  Old  is  in  the  New  revealed." 

This  volume  throughtout  its  pages  stands  for  the 
integrity  of  the  Bible,  the  oneness  of  the  Scriptures  as 
the  word  of  God.  We  single  out  the  New  Testament 
not  as  detaching  it  from  the  Old,  but  for  emphasis  and 
as  a  part  representing  the  whole,  and  as  the  expression 
of  Christian  thought,  and  of  church  life  and  doctrine. 


PROPAGANDA  OF  PRINCIPLES.  179 

But  "the  word  of  God  as  contained  in  the  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  is  the  only  rule 
whereby  we  may  glorify  and  enjoy  him,"  and  we  must 
not  separate  between  them  or  make  any  division  in  our 
recognition  of  their  supremacy  and  authority  in  our 
teaching  and  life. 

The  Old  Testament  is  the  bed-rock  of  our  New 
Testament  faith.  Yet  by  itself  the  Old  Testament  is 
an  unfinished  product,  calls  for  completion  in  the  com- 
ing of  another,  bears  in  itself  the  promise  and  potency 
of  the  New.  Its  word  was  not  finished,  its  song  was 
broken  midway  its  loftiest  strain,  its  final  message  had 
not  come.  The  most  advance  of  the  Hebrew  people 
were  in  expectation  waiting  for  the  salvation  of  Israel. 

The  New  Testament  Standard.  In  the  fullness 
of  time,  however,  God  lifted  the  curtain,  opened  the 
gate,  and  the  desire  of  all  nations  came;  with  his 
coming  came  the  New  Testament  period,  and  then  the 
New  Testament  Scriptures.  The  New  must  not  be 
detached  from  the  Old,  and  is  best  understood  in  the 
light  and  glory  of  the  Old.  With  the  new  period  came 
also  the  making  of  new  history,  the  bringing  in  of  new 
energies,  the  conservation  of  new  forces.  In  peculiar 
and  distinct  sense  the  New  Testament  is  the  exponent 
and  standard  of  the  New  Testament  church,  setting 
forth  its  nature,  spirit  and  mission,  its  doctrines,  ordi- 
nances and  ministries.  It  discloses  God's  purpose  of 
redemption,  becomes  his  messenger  of  light  and  salva- 
tion to  all  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Wherever  the  Scrip- 
tures may  go  in  triumph  and  power,  whether  the  Old 
Testament  or  the  New,  "the  word  of  God  is  living,  and 


180  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

active,  and  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  and 
piercing  even  to  the  dividing  of  soul  and  spirit,  of  both 
joints  and  marrow,  and  quick  to  discern  the  thoughts 
and  intent  of  the  heart." 

The  New  Testament  especially,  as  the  embodiment 
of  Christ's  teaching  and  the  expression  of  his  author- 
ity, is  in  his  church  for  its  instruction,  its  government, 
the  expansion  of  his  kingdom.  It  is  the  one  standard 
of  church  faith  and  practice,  otherwise  the  Christian 
world  is  at  sea,  without  chart  or  compass.  We  may 
differ  in  our  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures,  but  can- 
not question  their  right  to  rule  the  heart  and  life  in 
principle  and  practice.  This  goes  further  as  a  principle, 
is  more  explicit,  and  demands  more,  than  the  slogan  of 
the  Reformation :  "The  Bible,  the  Bible  alone  is  the  re- 
ligion of  Protestants."  As  "the  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice" the  Scriptures  are  sufficient  and  vital,  universal 
and  supreme,  imperative,  and  must  command  the  creed, 
the  conscience,  the  conviction,  the  church  relation  of 
all  who  bear  the  name  of  him  whose  name  is  above 
every  name. 

This  is  the  fundamental  principle  in  Christian  doc- 
trine, as  obedience  to  Christ  is  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciple in  Christian  life;  it  will  not  admit  of  controversy 
or  question.  The  closer  we  come  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment without  swerving  from  its  sense  and  spirit,  the 
closer  then  shall  we  come  to  Christ  in  doctrinal  fellow- 
ship and  teaching.  This  is  the  one  sublime  rule  of  life 
common  to  us  all.  To  walk  with  him  in  doctrine,  to 
sit  at  his  feet  and  learn  of  him,  is  the  outcome  and 


PROPAGANDA  OF  PRINCIPLES.  181 

crowning  glory  of  that  personal  faith  in  him  which 
saves,  and  which  honors  him  as  Saviour  and  Sovereign. 

Following  Where  the  New  Testament  Leads. 
Oneness  in  the  experience  of  grace,  with  the  New  Tes- 
tament as  the  common  standard  of  authority  in  life, 
should  easily  open  the  way  for  oneness  in  Christian 
belief  and  practice.  This  would  do  much  to  symphon- 
ize  the  discordant  note  too  often  heard  among  the  fol- 
lowers of  our  Lord.  The  oneness  for  which  he  prayed 
did  not,  we  may  be  sure,  contemplate  a  conglomerate 
creed,  or  a  disregard  for  those  things  which  he  com- 
manded, or  the  setting  at  naught  the  doctrines  every- 
where prevalent  in  his  teachings.  That  oneness  will 
come  when  it  comes,  in  the  brotherhood  of  believers 
and  in  the  universals  of  Christian  belief  and  practice 
as  measured  by  the  New  Testament,  in  what  it  teaches 
as  doctrine  and  requires  as  faith  and  obedience. 

We  must  not  fear  nor  hesitate  to  make  appeal  to  the 
New  Testament  as  the  supreme  standard,  or  to  follow 
where  it  leads.  This  means  to  believe  its  doctrines 
and  precepts,  to  speak  its  words  as  words  of  weight 
and  authority,  to  have  its  spirit  in  personal  experience, 
to  live  its  life  for  Christ's  will  and  way.  We  speak  not 
of  a  dead  book,  or  of  a  mere  code  of  law,  or  "set  of 
rules,"  but  of  that  living  word  which  in  its  contents  is 
a  powerful,  spiritual  dynamic  for  making  things  new, 
revolutionizing  and  transforming  the  heart,  regulating 
and  ruling  the  life.  The  New  Testament,  vitalizing  in 
its  great  doctrine,  stands  for  the  kingdom  of  God 
among  men,  makes  for  righteousness  and  peace  and 


182  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

joy  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  whether  with  one  by  himself  or 
with  many  associated  in  the  church. 

It  is  the  very  genius  of  the  Scripture  in  its  doctrine 
and  spirit,  to  make  itself  known  in  the  character  and 
life,  through  the  preaching  and  teaching  of  all  who 
come  within  its  power  and  experience.  The  gospel  in 
its  very  essence  is  diffusive  like  the  fragrance  of  the 
flower,  or  the  perfume  of  the  alabaster  box.  The  be- 
liever in  Jesus  as  his  Saviour  has  something  to  tell, 
and  the  word  of  his  heart  is  but  an  echo  of  the  Scrip- 
ture word  and  thought.  His  language  is  the  language 
of  Zion.  It  may  be  told  him  in  the  secret  of  his  soul, 
but  he  will  publish  it  from  the  housetop.  Its  light 
cannot  be  hid,  its  voice  cannot  be  hushed.  Its  message 
is  an  open  message,  its  word  is  on  the  wing,  to  make 
Christ  known,  as  to  his  teaching,  his  walk  among  men, 
his  death  to  save  from  sin,  and  as  to  what  he  would 
have  men  do. 

Christianity,  the  Church  and  Christendom. 
These  are  three  masterful  words  in  the  world's  vocabu- 
lary, and  represent  the  mightest  facts  and  factors  in 
the  world's  history.  They  are  not  identical  in  thought, 
not  coterminous  in  meaning,  but  they  center  in  Christ 
separately  and  conjointly,  and  bear  powerful  testimony 
in  his  behalf.  They  have  their  fixed  place  in  all  art  and 
science  and  literature,  in  all  the  movements  of  distinc- 
tion and  renown  since  he  came.  They  are  of  the  New 
Testament,  the  triumph  and  product  of  its  principles. 
Their  testimony  is  cumulative,  and  move  with  ever 
increasing  power. 

Had  not  Christ  lived,  there  would  be  no  Christian- 


PROPAGANDA  OF  PRINCIPLES.  183 

ity;  had  not  Christ  died  to  save  the  lost,  there  would 
be  no  church;  had  not  Christ  risen  from  the  dead  and 
led  captivity  captive,  there  would  be  no  Christendom. 
History  is  history,  and  cannot  be  undone,  nor  can  its 
meaning  be  changed.  The  fact  of  the  cross  with  its 
doctrine  is  fixed  in  the  calendar  of  God  and  man,  as 
God's  stupendous  effort  of  love  to  save  from  sin.  We 
need  not  argue  for  the  sun,  since  the  sun  is  shining,  nor 
for  Christ,  since  the  sun  of  righteousness  has  risen  with 
healings  in  his  wings,  and  the  nations  of  the  earth  are 
singing  his  praises. 

The  word  church  is  used  here  as  throughout  these 
pages,  to  designate  the  church  of  Christ  in  its  indi- 
vidual local  character,  multiplying  itself  through  the 
centuries,  and  in  its  organic  life  bearing  testimony  to 
Christ  throughout  the  world.  It  is  an  educational 
institution,  restricted  as  to  curriculum,  but  rich  and 
powerful  in  educational  products.  In  its  very  heart, 
and  because  of  its  doctrinal  and  spiritual  forces,  the 
church  is  dynamic  as  a  propaganda  of  New  Testament 
principles.  This  is  the  outflow  and  inflow  of  its  life, 
its  missionary  spirit,  principle  and  policy ;  to  be  unmis- 
sionary  means  its  death.  This  is  inherent  and  funda- 
mental in  the  corporate  life  of  the  church,  both  as  com- 
manded by  our  Lord  to  teach  the  things  which  he  com- 
manded, and  also  from  the  mighty  impulses  of  its  new 
life  and  joy. 

A  New  Testament  Propaganda.  Fundamental 
principles  may  not  be  put  in  didactic  form  or  creedal 
statement,  yet  there  must  be  didactic  instruction.  This 
is  precisely  what  our  Lord  intended,  when  he  spoke  of 


184  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

teaching  the  observance  of  his  commandments.  He 
was  setting  the  schedule  and  program  for  coming  ages, 
by  means  of  which  his  doctrines  were  to  live,  win  their 
way,  and  bless  mankind.  There  must  be  propagation 
of  New  Testament  principles,  a  teaching  of  Christ's 
doctrine  with  the  New  Testament  as  the  commanding 
word.  This  is  the  call  of  the  hour,  and  awaits  the  an- 
swer of  the  Sunday  school  world,  and  of  the  church  in 
training  and  equiping  its  school  as  a  center  of  doc- 
trinal energy.  Truth  is  mighty,  and  will  prevail,  but 
not  if  left  to  itself.  It  becomes  mighty  in  the  might 
of  its  champion. 

Propagandism  means  propagation — the  spreading 
abroad  of  the  New  Testament  principles  from  person 
to  person,  to  extend  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  to  circu- 
late the  truth  concerning  him  and  his  kingdom,  to 
carry  the  good  news  from  place  to  place,  and  unto  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.  Great  principles  do  not 
go  abroad  of  themselves,  though  imperial  and  even 
momentous.  Grain  in  the  garner  will  never  yield  a 
harvest  or  make  increase  in  the  market.  The  message, 
even  a  message  of  the  king  and  of  pardon  for  the 
criminal  on  the  scaffold,  must  wait  for  a  messenger. 
So  Christ  with  his  great  doctrines  which  must  redeem 
the  world  and  bring  on  his  coronation,  waits  for  teach- 
ers who  will  bear  the  good  news  of  salvation,  and 
teach  the  things  which  he  has  commanded.  The  Sun- 
day school  serving  in  this  high  mission,  comes  into  a 
sphere  all  its  own,  and  supplements  all  other  schools, 
but  with  disparagement  for  none.  Whatever  is  truly 
Christian  is  of  the  New  Testament,  and  must  agree 


PROPAGANDA  OF  PRINCIPLES.  185 

with  its  teaching;  conversely,  whatever  is  of  the  New 
Testament  is  Christian,  whether  persons  or  principles, 
whether  church,  character  or  creed,  whether  missions 
or  ministries.  The  Sunday  school  has  no  rival  among 
other  schools,  either  in  its  purpose  to  teach  the  Scrip- 
tures, or  its  aim  to  save  the  lost,  or  its  further  and 
larger  aim  of  character  building  and  the  better  fitting 
of  men  and  women  for  whatever  may  engage  their 
attention  and  service.  All  centers  in  Christ,  holds  him 
supreme,  with  the  New  Testament  as  his  word  of  au- 
thority and  as  our  supreme  standard  in  Christian  belief 
and  life. 

Education  in  Christian  Truth.  This  is  more 
than  propaganda  of  principles,  as  education  is  more 
than  instruction.  It  is  more  than  religious  education 
as  Christianity  is  more  than  religion.  It  means  more 
than  having  schools  and  colleges  under  Christian  in- 
fluence, as  they  almost  necessarily  do  not  include  this 
in  their  curriculum.  Education  is  both  process  and 
product,  the  curriculum  determines  what  sort  it  is. 
Not  altogether  perhaps,  for  the  teacher  himself  in  his 
own  personality,  will  add  a  certain  something  in  the 
process  indefinable  and  powerful,  and  outside  the 
course  of  study.  Whatever  is  in  the  process,  however, 
will  reappear  in  the  product,  as  surely  as  the  wheat- 
grain  reproduces  the  wheat-stalk.  There  can  be  no 
education  in  mechanics  except  through  teaching  me- 
chanics, no  education  in  the  arts  and  sciences  except 
through  teaching  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  no  educa- 
tion in  Christian  truth  except  through  teaching  Chris- 
tian truth. 


186  TEE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Christian  education  means  on  the  teacher's  part  in- 
struction in  the  New  Testament,  but  on  the  pupil's  part 
belief,  absorption,  assimilation  in  mind  and  heart.  This 
makes  Christian  character,  has  Christ  as  its  center  and 
base,  and  crowns  him  Lord  of  the  heart,  with  his  word 
as  authority  in  the  conscience  and  life.  It  distinguishes 
Christian  education  from  all  other  education,  Chris- 
tian character  from  the  moral  and  even  religious  char- 
acter, Christianity  itself  from  all  other  religions.  Cor- 
nelius was  religious,  but  not  Christian;  Romans  and 
Greeks  had  their  religion,  but  not  Christianity;  they 
knew  not  God  as  he  made  himself  known  in  Jesus 
Christ. 

Supplementing  whatever  education  may  be  given  in 
other  branches  of  learning,  this  service  sets  the  church 
school  apart  from  all  other  schools,  with  work  radical 
and  distinct,  with  equipment  and  endowment  peculiar 
to  itself,  with  purpose  and  subject  all  its  own.  The 
Sunday  school  has  not  yet  reached  the  limit  of  its  scope 
and  power,  as  an  educational  force,  and  has  scarcely 
entered  on  its  career  of  didactic  instruction.  Already 
vital  and  powerful,  its  efficiency  can  be  greatly  aug- 
mented both  as  a  method  for  saving  the  lost,  as  an  in- 
strument of  Christian  education,  and  as  a  means  for 
sending  forth  the  principles  of  the  New  Testament,  as 
leaves  from  the  tree  of  life  in  the  Paradise  of  God. 

The  words,  New  Testament  and  Christian,  as  words 
with  definite  significance,  are  practically  one  in  mean- 
ing— one  naming  the  Scriptures  concerning  Christ,  the 
other  indicating  the  system  of  truth  which  has  him  for 
its  center,  and  showing  a  life  which  has  its  source  and 


PROPAGANDA  OF  PRINCIPLES.  187 

power  in  him,  its  expression  in  his  service  and  in  build- 
ing his  kingdom.  New  Testament  doctrine,  precepts, 
ordinances,  service,  these  are  all  of  the  Christian  sys- 
tem bearing  its  mark,  purpose  and  spirit.  So  Christian 
education  in  its  highest  form  is  education  in  the  things 
which  the  New  Testament  teaches,  and  comes  to  its 
richest  fruitage  in  those  who  have  experiential  and  sav- 
ing knowledge  of  Christ  as  Saviour.  Through  teach- 
ing the  doctrine  of  the  cross,  will  come  the  final  con- 
quest of  the  cross. 

An  Example  of  Propaganda  and  Education 
Through  Teaching.  The  Sunday  school  as  a  means 
of  education  in  Christian  truth,  a  propaganda  of  Scrip- 
ture doctrine,  has  an  illustrious  example  in  the  conduct 
of  our  Lord  with  his  disciples  following  his  resurrec- 
tion. His  ministry  on  earth  was  coming  to  a  close  with 
touches  of  resurrection  life  and  power ;  his  ministry  in 
heaven  was  awaiting  his  ascension,  while  he  went  in 
and  out  with  the  little  group  as  his  class  of  choice  ones. 
Their  hearts  no  doubt  often  burned  within  them  during 
those  forty  days,  as  the  risen  Christ  talked  with  them 
and  opened  the  Scriptures  concerning  himself.  He 
was  preparing  them  to  evangelize  and  to  teach — pro- 
pagating his  truth  through  them,  projecting  himself 
and  his  doctrine  through  them  and  through  their  teach- 
ing into  centuries  yet  to  come. 

That  was  a  great  school  through  a  succession  of 
days,  fit  model  and  standard  for  the  church  school  at 
the  present  time.  We  need  not  call  it  a  Sunday  school, 
and  yet  we  will  hardly  go  amiss  if  we  do.  The  obliga- 
tion to  teach   Scripture  truth  comes  to  the  Sunday 


188  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

school  not  from  the  day  of  its  session,  but  because  it  is 
a  church  school,  successor  to  that  little  group  in  teach- 
ing, in  fulfillment  of  its  mission  to  teach.  It  is  the 
custodian  having  in  trust  the  doctrines  which  were 
taught  during  those  forty  days — unequalled  in  the 
world's  history  by  any  other  forty  days  of  instruction. 
Their  curriculum  is  our  curriculum,  their  privilege 
ours,  to  pass  on  the  great  doctrines  to  those  who  shall 
come  after. 

As  an  occasion  of  instruction  it  was  the  Holy  of 
holies,  with  the  risen  Christ  as  teacher.  The  disciples 
came  out  of  that  school  new  men  with  new  equipment. 
They  had  learned  of  him,  had  new  conceptions  of  Jesus, 
new  doctrinal  convictions  and  earnestness,  and  never 
in  the  coming  years  did  they  once  forget  that  word, 
"teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have 
commanded  you."  From  that  time  on  his  death  and 
resurrection  had  new  charm  and  power,  the  Scriptures 
and  his  doctrines  had  new  meaning,  and  were  given 
free  and  powerful  exposition  such  as  the  disciples  had 
not  known  before.  They  could  not  do  otherwise  than 
speak  the  things  which  they  had  seen  and  heard. 

In  that  school  they  were  made  ready  for  Pentecost, 
at  least  in  the  first  preparation  of  gathering  doctrinal 
material  for  the  holy  fire.  Simon  Peter,  the  un- 
schooled fisherman  from  Galilee,  came  out  of  that 
school,  educated  in  the  mighty  things  of  God,  and 
second  only  to  Paul  as  a  preacher,  with  such  enrich- 
ment in  Scripture  knowledge  as  augmented  his  own 
power  and  added  to  the  glory  of  Pentecost.  The  glory 
of  the  first  chapter  of  Acts  is  too  often  and  too  far  lost 


PROPAGANDA  OF  PRINCIPLES.  189 

in  the  glory  of  the  second  chapter.  But  surely  it  has 
the  word  for  today,  and  the  Sunday  school  world  needs 
its  great  lesson,  needs  to  learn  from  that  school  of  forty 
days  what  we  shall  teach,  and  what  are  the  sources  of 
power  in  the  educational  process. 

The  Universal  Christian  Creed.  Is  this  a 
dream,  this  doctrinal  oneness  among  Christians  ?  Dare 
we  write  it  down,  or  speak  it  out  loud  ?  Is  it  visionary, 
or  a  vision  of  the  conquering  power  of  Christ,  of  the 
final  conquest  of  New  Testament  faith?  Christianity 
may  be  viewed  from  different  standpoints :  ( i )  Simply 
a  history  holding  its  place  in  the  history  of  the  world ; 
(2)  a  religion,  calling  men  everywhere  to  worship  at 
its  altar;  (3)  a  salvation  through  personal  faith  in 
Christ;  (4)  a  new  life  wrought  within  and  compelling 
a  new  life  without;  (5)  a  mission  and  ministry  in  sav- 
ing the  lost ;  (6)  but  also  as  a  thing  to  be  chiefly  noticed 
here,  it  is  a  system  of  truth,  principles  or  doctrines,  as 
the  faith  once  for  all  delivered  to  the  saints,  and  sub- 
mitted for  belief  as  their  creed  and  for  instruction  in 
their  life. 

There  is  no  attempt  here  to  enumerate  these  prin- 
ciples :  they  are  everywhere  manifest  throughout  the 
New  Testament  pages,  though  nowhere  appearing  in 
formal  or  creedal  statement.  They  are  of  tremendous 
moment,  and  their  propagation  commands  the  earnest 
consideration  of  the  followers  of  our  Lord.  In  an 
earlier  chapter  of  this  volume  an  English  writer  was 
quoted  as  saying,  that  in  the  course  of  history  God  had 
often  interposed  by  reformation,  sometimes  by  revolu- 
tion, to  rescue  and  emphasize  afresh  four  great  prin- 


190  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

ciples  of  the  New  Testament  creed,  viz :  the  supremacy 
of  the  Scriptures,  the  Lordship  of  Jesus,  the  empire  of 
conscience,  the  sanctity  of  the  single  or  local  church. 
These  several  items  of  faith  are  fundamental,  inhere  in 
each  other,  and  stand  or  fall  together. 

So  important  are  they  therefore,  so  momentous  in 
themselves,  so  fundamental  in  the  whole  system  of 
Christian  truth,  so  essential  also  to  the  furtherance  of 
the  gospel  and  all  the  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom, 
that  they  should  have  a  commensurate  place  in  our 
teaching.  Evangelical  Christians  of  every  name  might 
well  concentrate  their  Sunday  school  teaching,  focus 
their  educational  propaganda  on  these  and  their  related 
truths  in  the  Christian  system.  These  are  inscribed  on 
the  banner  of  the  cross,  and  everywhere  are  the  insignia 
of  conquest  for  a  pure  and  powerful  New  Testament 
faith  and  life. 

Bringing  the  Question  Nearer  Home.  But  is  a 
universal  Christian  creed  possible?  To  answer  either 
yes  or  no,  is  a  daring  few  will  venture.  But  why 
not?  No  one  now  sets  bounds  to  the  triumphs  of 
science  and  invention,  commerce  and  capital.  Why 
not  a  universal  Christian  creed  among  the  followers  of 
our  Lord,  who  know  his  saving  grace — even  oneness 
in  creedal  statement  of  their  faith  in  him,  with  oneness 
of  doctrinal  belief  concerning  him,  oneness  in  the  faith 
delivered  to  the  saints,  with  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all  ? 

If  this  ever  comes,  it  will  come  through  faithfulness 
in  teaching  and  following  New  Testament  principles. 
It  will  not  come,  cannot  come,  by  sword,  or  might  or 


PROPAGANDA  OF  PRINCIPLES.  191 

power;  nor  will  it  come  by  minifying  doctrine  and 
magnifying  indifference  about  doctrine;  nor  by  the  sur- 
render or  compromise  of  things  with  which  the  church 
is  entrusted  and  charged ;  it  will  not  come  at  all  in  the 
absence  of  doctrinal  earnestness  in  conviction  and  char- 
acter. This  the  rather  is  the  way  of  failure  and  defeat, 
this  is  not  the  way  of  Christ,  nor  of  his  commandments, 
and  is  far  below  his  own  doctrinal  life,  power  and 
method  of  teaching. 

A  course  like  that  moreover  is  far  below  all  the  stand- 
ards he  set  for  his  people  in  precept  and  example,  and 
deficient  in  all  the  elements  of  power  and  greatness, 
whether  in  the  church  or  in  the  individual  Christian 
character  and  life.  Christ  wants  his  people  one,  and 
prayed  that  they  might  be  one  even  as  he  and  his  Father 
are  one,  that  they  might  be  in  accord  with  each  other 
in  their  loyalty  to  him,  in  teaching  what  he  commanded, 
in  keeping  sacred  and  inviolate  the  truts  committed  to 
their  charge.  "Organic  unity"  is  not  so  possible  of 
making,  nor  nearly  so  powerful  when  made,  as  doc- 
trinal oneness — one  in  Christ,  one  in  belief  concerning 
him,  one  in  purpose  to  honor  him  in  the  heart,  to  make 
his  word  supreme  authority  in  life,  to  advocate  his  will 
and  walk  in  his  ways  among  men. 

The  Final  Triumph  of  His  Doctrine.  This  is 
the  highway  of  the  King  along  which  he  will  come 
when  he  comes,  and  is  the  hope  of  our  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus — that  his  kingdom  shall  cover  the 
earth,  that  Christendom  will  become  the  synonym  of 
Christ's  reign  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men,  and 
throughout  the  nations  of  the  earth.     This  is  no  vain 


192  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

hope,  that  will  come  to  naught,  going  out  like  the 
going  down  of  the  sun  to  rise  no  more  forever,  but 
rather  a  faith  which  shall  surely  come  to  the  finish,  is 
even  now  in  process  of  fruitage  with  foretaste  richer 
than  the  grapes  which  came  from  Eschol.  The  soul, 
confident  and  expectant,  stands  erect  and  glorifies  God, 
enraptured  by  the  vision  of  the  final  triumph. 

We  have  not  made  due  emphasis  or  recognition  of 
what  may  be  called  the  universals  in  Christian  belief 
and  practice — the  mighty  things  held  in  common 
among  all  evangelical  Christians.  The  final  victory 
will  come  through  the  propaganda  of  these  as  New 
Testament  principles,  by  the  church  in  its  mission  of 
teaching  and  through  the  conquering  power  of  doc- 
trine— the  doctrine  of  the  risen  Christ,  who  once  was 
dead  and  is  alive  forever  more  with  the  keys  of  death 
and  hell ;  the  doctrine  of  his  abiding  presence  with  his 
word  to  teach  what  he  commanded  and  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  guide  in  our  teaching;  the  doctrine  of  the 
cross  with  the  glorious  doctrines  of  grace  interwoven 
in  and  through  it  as  warp  and  woof,  in  fulfillment  of 
that  royal  word :  "If  I  be  lifted  up  I  will  draw  all  men 
unto  me."  The  triumph  at  the  end  will  be  a  doctrinal 
triumph,  the  conquest  of  teaching,  the  coronation  of 
teachers  in  the  presence  of  the  King. 

As  the  closing  word  and  expressing  the  joyous  an- 
ticipation of  the  coming  years,  we  may  recall  a  saying 
of  our  Lord.  During  his  earthly  ministry  he  always 
moved  in  the  triumphant  spirit  and  spoke  the  triumph- 
ant word.  In  the  scene  at  the  raising  of  Lazarus,  Jesus 
stood  before  the  grave  where  the  dead  man  lay,  and 


PROPAGANDA  OF  PRINCIPLES.  193 

spoke  that  word  which  commands  all  the  ages.  It  was 
the  word  and  bearing  of  conquest  in  the  presence  of 
difficulties  and  impossible  things;  it  was  a  word  with 
something  of  complaint  and  pathos  in  its  tone  and 
touch,  and  yet  strong,  confident,  triumphant;  the  word 
which  to  this  day  he  passes  out  from  the  throne  to  his 
people  everywhere :  "Said  I  not  unto  thee,  that  if  thou 
wouldst  believe,  thou  shouldst  see  the  glory  of  God?" 


FINIS. 


PEDAGOGY 


The  Pedagogical  Bible  School 

By  S.  B.  Haslett.  12mo,  Cloth,  -  net  1.25. 
Introduction    by    President    G.   Stanley   Hall. 

"  Mr.  Haslett's  treatise  shows  how  modern  pedagog- 
ical principles  should  be  applied  to  the  Sunday  school, 
•what   established  traditions  should  be  uprooted    and 

•what  new  methods  should  be  introduced "— 

Independent. 

Education  in  Religion  and  Morals 

By  Prof.  George  A.  Coe.    2d  Edition.    12mo, 

Gilt  Top, net  1.35. 

"  We  verily  believe  a  more  serviceable  book  has  not 
recently  been  issued  from  the  press."—  Wesleyan  Chris- 
tian Advocate. 

The  Religion  of  a  Mature  Mind 

Studies  in  Modern  Problems.  By  Prof.  George 
A.  Coe.     10th  Thousand.     Gilt  Top,    net  1.35. 

••Intellectually  bold  and  spiritually  constructive. 
To  earnest-minded  laymen,  whose  skepticism  is  that  of 
serious-minded  perplexity,  in  their  congregations,  and  to 
teachers  who  meet  it  in  their  class-rooms,  we  recom- 
mend this  volume."—  The  Outlook. 

The  Complete  Normal  Manual 

For  Bible  Students  and  Sunday  School  Work- 
ers. By  W.  J.  Semelroth.  8th  Edition.  8vo, 
Paper,  -  -  -  r  -  -  -  -  net  .25. 
Flexible  Cloth, net  .50. 

The  Bible  Outlined 

By  W.  J.  Semelroth.    Paper    -       •       net  .10. 

Selections  from  the  Complete  Normal  Manual  contain- 
ing  the  course  on  Historical  Divisions,  the  department  Book 
by  Books,  and  Helps  for  Students  and  Classes. 

Sunday  School  Teachers'  Normal  Course 

By  George  W.  Pease. 
1st  Series.    Old  Testament. 
/   2d  Series.      New  Testament. 
Each,  paper,    -    net  .25.  Cloth,       -       net  .50. 

"Besides  the  Teacher's  course  of  Bible  study,  ex- 
ttnding  over  two  years,  it  contains  valuable  suggestion* 
to  leaders;  also  chapters  on  Child-nature.  The  Laws  of 
Teaching,  and  Art  of  Questioning  and  Illustrating."— 
Lutheran  Observer* 


THE  SUPERINTENDENT 


How  to  Conduct  a  Sunday  School 

By  Marion  Lawrance,  General  Secretary  of  the 

International  Sunday  School  Association. 

6th  Edition^  12mo,  Cloth,       -       -       net  1.25. 

"Every  superintendent,  teacher,  pastor,  officer, 
should  own  it.  A  perfect  mine  of  hints  ana  plans  from 
the  most  experienced  Sunday  school  leader  of  the  day." 
—Sunday  School  Times. 

"Packed  full  of  useful  information.  Filled  with 
details,  specific  and  practical,  for  which  a  host  of  work- 
ers have  longed  and  prayed."— Examiner. 

The  Modern  Sunday  School  in 
Principle  and  Practice 

By  Henry  F.  Cope.    12mo,  Cloth,    -     net  1.00. 

By  the  General  Secretary  of  the  Relig!ous  Education 
Association.  It  constitutes  an  invaluable  guide  for  thfe 
management  of  the  Sunday  School  under  modern  con- 
ditions. Presents  the  results  of  the  newest  experiments 
both  with  primary,  adolescent  and  adult  grades. 

Sunday  School  Success 

By  Amos  R.  Wells.  12mo,  Cloth,  Gilt  Top,  1.25. 

•'  The  author  writes  from  his  rich  fund  of  knowledge 
and  wisdom  gained  by  personal  experience  in  practical 
Sunday  school  work.  For  Sunday  school  teachers  and 
superintendents  it  is  the  best  hand-book  on  methods  of 
work  and  mastery  of  difficulties  we  have  yet  seen.  It 
is  interesting.  There  is  not  a  dull  chapter  in  it."— 
Evangelical  Messenger. 

Pastoral  Leadership  of  Sunday 
School  Forces 

By  A.  F.  Schauffler,  D.D.   12mo,  Cloth,  net  .60. 

The  book  is  the  outcome  of  the  experience  of  he 
who  today  is  perhaps  the  leading  exponent  of  practical 
Sunday  school  work  in  its  entirety  and  detail. 

The  Modern  Superintendent 

and  his  Work.  By  J.  R.  Pepper,  16mo,paper,  .15. 
A  wealth  of  suggestion  in  most  compact  form. 


BEGINNERS 


Kindergarten  Bible  Stories 

Old  Testament.    By  Laura  Ella  Cragin.    Illus- 
trated, 12mo,,  Cloth,         ...         net  1.25. 
"Altogether  it  is  the  best  book  of  Bible  stories  we 
have  seen  in  a  long  time.    The  author's  gift  in  bringing 
out  the  lessons  of  the  stories  is  especially  noted." — 
Christian  Observer. 

Bible  Lessons  for  Little  Beginners 

By    Margaret   J.    Cushman    Haven.     Vol.    I. 

Fifty-two  Lessons,  Comprising  the  first  year's 

Course.    Cloth,        ...       -        net  .75. 

Vol.  II.     Fifty-two  Lessons,  Comprising  the 

second  year's  Course.    Cloth,         -         net  .75. 

Portfolios  of  50  Suggested  Pictures  for  each 

volume.    Each,         -  net  .50. 

Packet  of  52  Reward  Tickets  for  each  volume. 

Each, net  .12. 

44  Mrs.  Haven  has  at  last  struck  a  chord  that  vibrates 
In  the  ^heart  of  every  one  who  has  taught  the  smaller 
chidren  in  the  Sunday  school  and  tried  to  tell  them  the 
splendid  stories  of  the  Bible."— JV.  Y.  Tribune. 

Bible  Stories  Without  Names 

By  Harry  Smith,  M.A.  With  questions  at  the 
end  of  each  chapter  and  the  answers  in  a  sep- 
arate accompanying  booklet.     16mo,  Cloth,  .75. 

PRIMARY 

Practical  Primary  Plans 

By  Israel  P.  Black.    Illustrated  with  diagrams. 

Revised  and  enlarged.    16mo,  Cloth,    net  1.00. 

"The  author  goes  through  all  the  material,  physical 
and  spiritual  requirements  for  successful  primary  teach- 
ing."— Christian  Advocate. 

Three  Years  With  the  Children 

Or  three  times  fifty-two  five  minute  sermons. 

By  Amos  R.  Wells.    12mo,  Cloth,       -        1.25. 

''Abundant  and  suggestive  methods  for  all  sorts  of 
addresses  to  children,  blackboard  talks,  object  lessons, 
conversations,  etc." — Baptist  Union, 

Our  Children  for  Christ 

By  Rev.  Doremus  Scudder.  A  Series  of  Cate- 
chetical Lessons  on  the  Religion  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.    16mo,  Paper,        -       -      net  .10 


THE  BLACKBOARD 


Pencil  Points  for  Preacher  and  Teacher 

A  Second  Volume  of  Blackboard  and  Object 
Teaching. 

By  Rev.  R.  F.  Y.  Pierce.  2d  Edition,  Illus- 
trated, Cloth. net  1.25. 

"A  useful  volume  by  the  recognized  exponent  of  the 
art  of  conveying  Scripture  truth  by  means  of  blackboard 
sketches  and  object  lessons.  Crowded  with  illustra- 
tions of  blackboard  drawings  and  suggestions,  and 
forms  a  fitting  companion  to  His  popular  oook  •Pictured 
Truth.'  "—Westminister. 

Pictured  Truth 

A  Handbook  of  Blackboard  and  Object  Teach- 
ing. By  R.  F.  Y.  Pierce.  With  Illustrations 
by  the  author.    3d  Edition.    Cloth,        -      1.25. 

"  The  blackboard  in  the  Sunday  School  may  be  en- 
riched readily  in  its  diversified  Sunday  use  by  the  study 
of  such  a  book." — Congregationalist. 


Chalk 

What  We  Can  Do  With  It.  Practical  Work 
with  Chalk  and  Blackboard.  By  Mrs.  Ella  N. 
Wood.    2d  Edition.     Illustrated,      -      net  .75. 

"Mrs.  Wood  helps  every  one,  in  this  book,  who  has 
anything  to  do  with  the  education  of  children,  to  make 
an  ally  of  the  blackboard. ...The  book  will  help  ministers 
to  hold  their  boys  and  girls ;  it  will  be  invaluable  tr 
Junior  Endeavor  superintendents  and  Primary  Sunda/ 
school  teachers." — C.  E.  World. 


Children's  Meetings 

And  How  to  Conduct  Them.  By  Lucy  J.  Rider 
and  Nellie  M.  Carman.  With  Lessons,  Out- 
lines, Diagrams,  Music,  etc.  Introduction  by 
Bishop  Vincent.  Cloth,  -  -  net  1.00. 
Paper, net  .50. 

"With  the  aid  of  its  blackboard  sketches  it  aims  to 
teach  the  leader  to  talk  with  children,  to  encourage  the 
memorizing  of  Bible  verses,  and  to  make  use  of  the 
lessons  from  nature." — C.  E.  World. 


Date  Due 

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